Patent ID: 7635316

Claim:
A control device for an automatic transmission connected with an internal combustion engine of a vehicle, the control device comprising: a hydraulic pressure control means for controlling a hydraulic pressure of each corresponding one of a plurality of friction elements of a gear shift mechanism of the automatic transmission to selectively place each corresponding one of the plurality of friction elements in one of an engaged state and a disengaged state to shift a gear stage of the gear shift mechanism; a downshift control means for executing a downshift control operation to control the hydraulic pressure of each corresponding one of the plurality of friction elements and thereby to downshift the gear shift mechanism from a current gear stage to a next gear stage, at which an engine brake is operated, upon receiving a driver's demand for deceleration; and an engine output increase control means for executing an engine output increase control operation to increase an engine output of the engine in an absence of a driver's operation on an accelerator of the vehicle during the downshift control operation, which is executed by the downshift control means, wherein when the engine output increase control means executes the engine output increase control operation, the engine output increase control means executes a preliminary output increase control operation to preliminarily, slightly increase the engine output and then executes a main output increase control operation to substantially increase the engine output in preparation for downshifting of the gear shift mechanism to the next gear stage.