Patent ID: 8251864

Claim:
A control device for a hybrid vehicle drive apparatus comprising: an internal combustion engine; an electric motor connected to a power transmitting path extending to drive wheels; an electrically controlled differential portion including a differential mechanism connected to the internal combustion engine in power transmissive manner and a differential-action electric motor connected to the differential mechanism in power transmissive manner, which is operative to control a differential state of the differential mechanism upon controlling an operating state of the differential-action electric motor, and a differential-action limiting device limiting a differential action of the differential mechanism; a motor drive running mode configured to cause a vehicle to run with the electric motor with the internal combustion engine remaining under a halted state, wherein the control device is operative to perform an internal-combustion-engine rotation control for rotating an output shaft of the internal combustion engine under a circumstance where a consecutive travel distance involved in the motor drive running mode exceeds a given consecutive travel distance determining value; the control device is operative to perform the internal-combustion-engine rotation control also under a circumstance where a vehicle speed involved in the motor drive running mode exceeds a given vehicle speed determining value; the control device is operative to continue the motor drive running mode without performing the internal-combustion-engine rotation control under a circumstance where the consecutive travel distance involved in the motor drive running mode does not exceed the given consecutive travel distance determining value and the vehicle speed involved in the motor drive running mode does not exceed the given vehicle speed determining value; and the control device causes the output shaft of the internal combustion engine to rotate upon limiting the differential action of the differential mechanism.