An electronic decision support device for implementing a critical function or an assistance function by an avionics system in response to a query from an operator. The device includes a module for receiving the query and a current context, and a processing module configured for generating a recommendation in response to the query, and the processing module includes a similarity-based reasoning module configured for generating a recommendation from an algorithm based on the content of a reference database, a rule-based reasoning module configured for generating a recommendation from a deterministic algorithm, an ontology-based reasoning module configured for generating a recommendation from an ontology-based algorithm, and an activation module configured for activating at least one of the reasoning modules.

A system configured to detect defects in a first oxygen sensor is disclosed. The system is configured to detect defects in a first oxygen sensor. The system includes an X-ray imaging device configured to capture a production X-ray image of the first oxygen sensor and an electronic processor configured to use a trained oxygen sensor defect detection model to identify a defect of the first oxygen sensor by producing a pseudo X-ray image by simulating a projection of a fan beam through CT data of a second oxygen sensor. The electronic processor is also configured to measure, via the trained oxygen sensor defect detection model, a fan-beam distortion in the production X-ray image; select, via the trained oxygen sensor defect detection model, the pseudo X-ray image based on the fan-beam distortion; perform a comparison, via the trained oxygen sensor defect detection model, of the production X-ray image to the pseudo X-ray image; and, classify, based on the comparison, the production X-ray image as representing an improperly assembled oxygen sensor.

An evaluation and control unit (100) for a broadband lambda probe (200) and a method for operating the same are disclosed. The evaluation and control unit (100) comprises pins (RE, IPE, APE, MES) connectable to electrical wires (201, 202, 203, 204) of electrochemical cells (210, 211) of the broadband lambda probe (200), a controller (103), a ASIC reference potential source (102), wherein the ASIC reference potential source (102) is operable by means of the controller (103), a switch assembly (104) connected to each of the pins (RE, I PE, APE, MES), wherein the switch assembly (104) comprises a first transistor (T.sub.Wire) and a second transistor (T.sub.ECU), wherein the switch reference potential source (105) is connected to a gate side of the first and second transistors (T.sub.Wire, T.sub.ECU), wherein the controller (103) is configured to vary the switch reference potential (V.sub.SW) applied to the gate side of the first and second transistors (T.sub.Wire, T.sub.ECU), wherein the switch assembly (104) is configured to allow a limiting current flowing to the drain side of the first transistor (T.sub.Wire) from the ASIC reference potential if the potential at the gate side of the first and second transistors (T.sub.Wire, T.sub.ECU) is at a predetermined voltage between values of an open and closed switch.

To provide a sensor control device capable of identifying a short circuit terminal with a simple configuration and whose identification operation is not easily affected by environmental conditions around the sensor. The sensor control device includes a short circuit detection unit that detects a short circuit of a sensor having a plurality of terminals, a resistance value control unit that increases a resistance value of an element between the terminals when the short circuit of the sensor is detected by the short circuit detection unit, and a short circuit terminal identification unit that identifies at which of the plurality of terminals a short circuit occurs when the resistance value control unit increases the resistance value of the element between the terminals to a set value or greater.

A gas burner comprises an automatic firing unit for regulating or controlling an amount of gas supplied to the gas burner via a gas control valve and a lambda probe (1) arranged in the exhaust gas flow for measuring a residual oxygen content in the exhaust gas. A method for operating the gas burner comprises a first operating state in which the gas burner is operated in standard mode, wherein the residual oxygen content in the exhaust gas is regulated via the measured value of the lambda probe (1). According to the invention, in a second operating state, the gas burner performs a fault test on the lambda probe (1) involving the steps of: deactivating (S18) a supply of power to a pump cell (PZ) of the lambda probe (1); determining a present test voltage (h) of a measurement cell (NZ) of the lambda probe (1); comparing (S25) the present test voltage (h) with a predefined test setpoint voltage (i) and determining a difference; and if the difference exceeds a predefined limit value, performing a safety deactivation (S29); or if the difference does not exceed the predefined limit value, operating the gas burner in the first operating state.

A control device of an exhaust sensor comprises a cell temperature detecting part detecting a temperature of the electrochemical cell, a heater control part controlling the heater so that a temperature of the electrochemical cell becomes the target temperature, and a judging part judging whether a water repellency of the protective layer is falling. The judging part judges that the water repellency of the protective layer is falling if a condition for judging abnormality is satisfied. The condition for judging abnormality includes a temperature of the electrochemical cell detected by the cell temperature detecting part falling from the target temperature and a speed of fall of the temperature being faster than a speed of fall of the temperature of the electrochemical cell when the heater is turned off.

A control device of an exhaust sensor comprises a heater control part configured to set a target temperature of an electrochemical cell and control a heater so that a temperature of the electrochemical cell becomes the target temperature, and a judging part configured to judge whether a water repellency of a protective layer is falling when the heater control part sets the target temperature to a temperature of a lowest temperature at which a Leidenfrost phenomenon occurs at an outer surface of the protective layer or more. The heater control part is configured to rise the target temperature when the judging part judges that the water repellency of the protective layer is falling.

A gas sensor includes an element body, a pump cell, an impedance measurer, and a calculation unit. The pump cell has an inner electrode disposed in a measurement-object gas flow section of the element body, and an outer electrode disposed outside an element body to come into contact with a measurement-object gas, the pump cell being configured to adjust an oxygen concentration in a vicinity of the inner electrode. The impedance measurer performs first measurement to measure a first impedance by applying a voltage having a first frequency to the pump cell, and second measurement to measure a second impedance by applying a voltage having a second frequency higher than the first frequency to the pump cell. The calculation unit calculates the reaction resistance index correlated with the reaction resistance of the pump cell, based on the first and second impedances.

A gas sensor includes a sensor element and a controller. The sensor element includes an element body provided with a measurement-object gas flow section therein, a measurement electrode disposed in the measurement-object gas flow section, an outer pump electrode provided in the element body so that the outer pump electrode comes into contact with a measurement-object gas, a reference electrode, a reference-gas introduction section that causes a reference gas to flow to the reference electrode, and a reference-gas adjustment pump cell constituted by including the outer pump electrode and the reference electrode. The controller performs a moisture-absorption-state diagnosis process of diagnosing a moisture absorption state around the reference electrode based on a pump current flowing through the reference-gas adjustment pump cell when the reference-gas adjustment pump cell is controlled to pump out oxygen from a periphery of the reference electrode to a periphery of the outer pump electrode.

A gas sensor includes a sensor element including an element body, a first electrode, a second electrode, and a heater; a voltage acquisition section that acquires a voltage between the first electrode and the second electrode; a heater power supply; an external common lead that serves as both at least part of an electric circuit used to acquire the voltage by providing electrical continuity between the first electrode and the voltage acquisition section and at least part of an electric circuit used to supply an electric power from the heater power supply to the heater and that is disposed outside the sensor element; and a correction section that derives a value of a voltage drop in the external common lead in accordance with a heater current and that corrects the voltage acquired by the voltage acquisition section in accordance with the derived value of the voltage drop.