Patent ID: 7566288

Claim:
A control apparatus for a vehicular drive system including a continuously-variable transmission portion operable as an electrically controlled continuously variable transmission, the continuously-variable transmission portion having a differential mechanism operable to distribute an output of an engine to a first electric motor and a power transmitting member, and a second electric motor disposed in a power transmitting path between the power transmitting member and a drive wheel of a vehicle, said control apparatus comprising: a differential-state limiting device provided in the differential mechanism, and operable to limit a differential function of the differential mechanism, for limiting an operation of the continuously-variable transmission portion as the electrically controlled continuously variable transmission; and a differential-state switching controller operable, when a predetermined condition regarding a vehicle condition is satisfied, for limiting the operation of the continuously-variable transmission portion as the electrically controlled continuously variable transmission by switching the differential mechanism to a differential function limited state in which a differential function is limited, and when acceleration or deceleration of the vehicle is required, for removing the limitation imposed by said differential-state limiting device on the operation of the continuously-variable transmission portion as the electrically controlled continuously variable transmission, by switching the differential mechanism placed in the differential function limited state to a differential state in which the limitation of the differential function is removed.