Patent ID: 7766789

Claim:
A control device for a hybrid vehicle drive apparatus, wherein the hybrid vehicle drive apparatus comprises (i) a continuously variable shifting portion including a differential mechanism, operative to distribute an output of an engine to a first electric motor and drive wheels, which serves as an electrically controlled continuously variable transmission; (ii) a connecting/disconnecting portion forming part of a power transmitting path and operative to selectively switch the power transmitting path in one of a power transmissive state in which a power transfer therethrough is allowed, and a power interrupting state in which the power transfer from the differential mechanism to the drive wheels is interrupted; and (iii) a differential state switching device disposed in the differential mechanism and operative to selectively switch the differential mechanism in one of a differential state to enable the continuously variable shifting portion to perform a continuously variable shifting action and a non-differential state disabling the continuously variable shifting action of the continuously variable shifting portion; and the control device is operative, if rattling noise in the differential mechanism exceeds a given value upon request of an engine start-up, to place the power transmitting path in the power interrupting state and to place the differential mechanism in the non-differential state after which the engine is started up.