Shift control apparatus for vehicle automatic transmission

A shift control apparatus for a vehicle automatic transmission that is to be provided in a vehicle, the vehicle including, in addition to the vehicle automatic transmission, a hydraulic transmission device having a lockup clutch, an engine, an input shaft connected to the engine through the hydraulic transmission device, and drive wheels,

• wherein the vehicle automatic transmission is disposed between the input shaft and the drive wheels, and includes first and second engagement devices, such that at least a first gear position is established with the first engagement device being engaged, and at least a second gear position is established with the second engagement device being engaged, and such that the vehicle automatic transmission is configured to transmit a drive force at a first gear ratio when the first gear position is established, and to transmit the drive force at a second gear ratio lower than the first gear ratio when the second gear position is established,
• wherein the shift control apparatus comprises a shift-down control portion configured, when a shift-down operation is executed to establish the first gear position by releasing the second engagement device, during running of the vehicle in a driven state with the second gear position being established with engagement of the second engagement device, to execute a torque-increase control operation for increasing a torque of the engine so as to increase an input rotational speed as a rotational speed of the input shaft through the lockup clutch that is placed in an engaged state, and to release the lockup clutch before the input rotational speed reaches a synchronous speed of the first gear position.