Patent ID: 8326508

Claim:
A control device for an automatic transmission having a torque converter, in which a target gear position is set on the basis of a vehicle speed and an engine load comprising: a vehicle speed detecting unit that detects the vehicle speed; a storing unit that stores a determination reference used to determine whether to set a friction element for locking up the torque converter in an engaged condition or a disengaged condition; a determining unit that determines that the friction element is to be set in the engaged condition in case the vehicle speed is equal to or higher than the determination reference and determining that the friction element is to be set in the disengaged condition in case the vehicle speed is lower than the determination reference; and an engagement control unit performs control to engage or disengage the friction element on the basis of a determination result of the determining unit, wherein the engagement control unit comprise a prohibiting unit that prohibits setting of the friction element in the engaged condition until a predetermined condition is established, regardless of the determination result, after the friction element is controlled from the engaged condition to the disengaged condition.