This application claims priority to U.S. provisional patent application No. 63/356,442, filed June 28, 2022, which is hereby incorporated by reference herein in its entirety.

Field

[0001] This relates generally to systems such as vehicles, and, more particularly, controls for vehicles.

Background

[0002] Automobiles and other vehicles have buttons and other controls. Vehicle occupants can use these controls to adjust heating and air-conditioning, lighting, and other vehicle operations.

Summary

[0003] A vehicle may have a controller system with multiple individually adjustable controllers, each of which is associated with a user at a different respective seat in the vehicle. Each controller may have one or more input devices. For example, each controller may have a rotatable knob. The rotatable knobs may have sensors such as rotation sensors and may have force-feedback motors or other actuators for controlling rotation resistances for the rotatable knobs.

[0004] The actuators may be used in implementing adjustable knob behaviors for the rotational knobs. For example, the actuators may be used to provide dynamically adjustable rotational end stops, dynamically adjustable rotational detents, and/or adjustable amounts of rotation resistance based on parameters such as measured knob rotational position, rotational velocity, and rotational acceleration, and/or based on factors such as which vehicle operation is being controlled by the controller system.

[0005] During operation of the controller system, multiple users may desire to use their rotatable knobs to control the same vehicle operation at the same time, giving rise to a conflict. The controller system may arbitrate between multiple users who are attempting to use the system and thereby resolve the conflict so that control authority can be passed to an appropriately chosen user and knob. A priority queue may be maintained listing of users in priority order so that control authority can be reassigned when relinquished by the user who is currently in control.

Brief Description of the Drawings

[0006] FIG. 1 is a side view of an illustrative vehicle in accordance with an embodiment. [0007] FIG. 2 is a side view of an illustrative controller in accordance with an embodiment. [0008] FIG. 3 is a top view of an illustrative vehicle controller system with different controllers for different users in different respective seats of a vehicle in accordance with an embodiment.

[0009] FIG. 4 is a diagram showing how a priority queue may be used in arbitrating between multiple users who are using separate controllers and attempting to control the same operation in a vehicle in accordance with an embodiment.

[0010] FIG. 5 is a flow chart of illustrative operations involved in using a controller system with multiple controllers associated with multiple respective users in a vehicle to control vehicle operations in accordance with an embodiment.

Detailed Description

[0011] A vehicle may have a controller system with multiple controllers. Controllers may be used to adjust interior and exterior lighting, driving and navigation system functions, autonomous driving system functions, climate control functions, media playback system functions, and other vehicle operations. In an illustrative arrangement, which is described herein as an example, each of multiple controllers in the vehicle control system may be used by a different respective vehicle occupant (user).

[0012] Multiple users may, for example, use their controllers to control a common vehicle operation. As an example, a vehicle may have a set of windshield wipers. When a given one of the users desires to adjust the windshield wipers, that given user may use the controller that is associated with that given user to make windshield wiper adjustments. In the event that multiple users attempt to adjust the windshield wipers at the same time, a conflict is created. When there is a conflict, the controller system may arbitrate between the users to determine which user and controller in the system should be assigned control authority. The controller of the active user (the user who is given control authority and therefore priority by the system) may be used in actively controlling the windshield wipers, whereas user input from the controllers of the other users is not used in controlling the windshield wipers (and is therefore effectively ignored for the purpose of controlling the wipers). If desired, the states of the non-active users’ controllers may track the state of the controller of the active user. For example, in a controller system with rotary knobs controlled by motors, the active user may rotate a knob by 30°. In response, the motors for the rotary knobs of the other users may rotate those knobs by a corresponding amount of 30° so that the angular orientations of those knobs track the rotation of the active use’s knob. With this approach, the rotational states of all knobs in the system will remain the same, regardless of which user and knob have been given control authority.

[0013] FIG. 1 is a side view of a portion of an illustrative vehicle that may be provided with a multi-user control system. In the example of FIG. 1, vehicle 10 is the type of vehicle that may carry passengers (e.g., an automobile, truck, or other automotive vehicle).

[0014] Vehicle 10 may be manually driven (e.g., by a human driver), may be operated via remote control, and/or may be autonomously operated (e.g., by an autonomous vehicle driving system implemented using the control circuitry, sensors, and other components of vehicle 10). If desired, a vehicle driving system (e.g., a computer-assisted driving system that is also optionally used to support fully autonomous driving) may be used to provide vehicle driving assistance functions while vehicle 10 is being driven under manual control. [0015] Vehicle 10 may include a body such as body 12. Body 12 may include vehicle structures such as body panels formed from metal and/or other materials, may include doors, a hood, a trunk, fenders, a chassis to which wheels are mounted, a roof, etc. Windows 16 may be formed in doors (e.g., on the sides of vehicle body 12, on roof RF of vehicle 10, at front F and/or rear R of vehicle 10, and/or in other portions of vehicle 10). Windows 16, doors, and other portions of body 12 may separate interior region 20 of vehicle 10 from the exterior environment that is surrounding vehicle 10 (exterior region 22).

[0016] Vehicle 10 may have seating such as seats 24 in interior region 20. Seats 24 may include bucket seats, bench seats, and/or other seats on which vehicle occupants may sit. These seats may include forward-facing seats and/or rear-facing seats. In the example of FIG. 1, seats 24 include a pair of face-to-face seats 24 in which first and second seats 24 face each other. In general, seats 24 may be oriented so that one or more users face forward as vehicle 10 is driven forward and so that one or more users face rearward as vehicle 10 is driven forward. Right and left seat occupants may sit adjacent to each other on each seat 24 or each seat 24 may accommodate three or more passengers or only a single passenger. Arrangements in which the seats of vehicle 10 face to the side, in which all seats 24 face forward, in which seats 24 may be rotated between forward and rearward orientations and/or other orientations, and/or in which seats 24 of vehicle 10 have other configurations may also be used. The example of FIG. 1 in which the interior of vehicle 10 contains one or more rearward-facing bucket seats and/or bench seats and one or more forward-facing bucket seats and/or bench seats is illustrative.

[0017] Vehicle 10 may be provided with one or more input-output components. These components may include displays, speakers, buttons, sensors that gather user input, and other components. The input-output components may include controllers for gathering user input to adjust vehicle operations. The controllers may include controllers for receiving user steering commands, for receiving user navigation commands for an autonomous driving, for receiving user input to adjust lighting, media playback, heating and air-conditioning, and other vehicle operations, and for receiving other user input.

[0018] Vehicle 10 may include components 26. Components 26 may include a steering and propulsion system (e.g., a computer-controlled driving system implemented using control circuitry in vehicle 10 that operates under manual control from a user and/or that serves as an autonomous driving system that operates autonomously). The steering and propulsion system (sometimes referred to as the driving system) includes wheels coupled to body 12, steering actuators coupled to the wheels to turn the wheels, one or more motors for driving the wheels, and other vehicle systems. Components 26 may also include window positioning systems, heating and air-conditioning systems, media playback systems (e.g., an audio system with a speaker having an adjustable volume), interior lights, exterior lights, windshield wipers, seat position adjustment systems for seats 24, seat heaters, door locks, door positioning systems, and other components for supporting vehicle operations.

[0019] Components 26 may include control circuitry and input-output devices. Control circuitry in components 26 may be configured to operate vehicle systems such as the steering and propulsion system based on user input, to operate vehicle systems such as the steering and propulsion system autonomously in connection with running an autonomous driving application, to run a navigation application (e.g., an application for displaying maps on a display), to run software for controlling vehicle climate control devices, lighting, media playback, window movement, door operations, sensor operations, and/or other vehicle operations, and to support the operation of other vehicle functions. The control circuitry may include processing circuitry and storage and may be configured to perform operations in vehicle 10 using hardware (e.g., dedicated hardware or circuitry), firmware and/or software. Software code for performing operations in vehicle 10 and other data is stored on non-transitory computer readable storage media (e.g., tangible computer readable storage media) in the control circuitry. The software code may sometimes be referred to as software, data, program instructions, computer instructions, instructions, or code. The non-transitory computer readable storage media may include non-volatile memory such as non-volatile random-access memory, one or more hard drives (e.g., magnetic drives or solid-state drives), one or more removable flash drives or other removable media, or other storage. Software stored on the non-transitory computer readable storage media may be executed on the processing circuitry of components 26. The processing circuitry may include applicationspecific integrated circuits with processing circuitry, one or more microprocessors, a central processing unit (CPU) or other processing circuitry.

[0020] The input-output components (input-output devices) of components 26 may include displays, sensors, buttons, light-emitting diodes and other light-emitting devices, haptic devices, speakers, and/or other devices for gathering environmental measurements, information on vehicle operations, and/or user input. The sensors in components 26 may include ambient light sensors, touch sensors, force sensors, proximity sensors, optical sensors such as cameras operating at visible, infrared, and/or ultraviolet wavelengths (e.g., fisheye cameras and/or other cameras), capacitive sensors, resistive sensors, ultrasonic sensors (e.g., ultrasonic distance sensors), microphones, three-dimensional and/or two-dimensional images sensors, radio-frequency sensors such as radar sensors, lidar (light detection and ranging) sensors, door open/close sensors, seat pressure sensors and other vehicle occupant sensors, window sensors, position sensors for monitoring location, orientation, and movement, speedometers, satellite positioning system sensors, and/or other sensors. Output devices in components 26 may be used to provide vehicle occupants and others with haptic output (e.g., force feedback, vibrations, etc.), audio output, visual output (e.g., displayed content, light, etc.), and/or other suitable output.

[0021] Seats 24 may accommodate multiple vehicle occupants (users). Each user may be provided with a separate controller. The controllers may be used to control user-specific vehicle operations (e.g., a controller of a user may be used by the user to adjust a userspecific light that is providing illumination for that user) and/or may be used to control vehicle operations that are shared by all users (e.g., the controllers of multiple users may all be provided with the ability to control a single set of windshield wipers). Each controller may have one or more input devices such as touch sensors, buttons, force sensors, knobs, sliders, touch screens, microphones, joysticks, and/or other input components. If desired, these input devices may have associated output components. For example, a rotatable knob may have a display that is used in displaying images (e.g., graphics, text, etc.), a button may have an associated speaker for creating audible tones in coordination with button presses, a touch sensor may have an associated haptic output device for creating vibrations in connection with user touch input events, etc. In general, any suitable input components and output components among components 26 may be incorporated into each user’s controller. [0022] In an illustrative configuration, each user in vehicle 10 has a controller with a pair of rotatable knobs and a button. The button may serve as a back button. One of the rotatable knobs may be a dedicated volume adjustment knob for controlling the loudness of audio playback by an audio system in vehicle 10. The other rotatable knob may be used to control different vehicle operations (e.g., different vehicle components). Other controller arrangements with one or more different types of input devices may be used, if desired. [0023] FIG. 2 is a side view of an illustrative controller having a button and two rotary knobs. As shown in FIG. 2, controller 30 may be mounted to a support structure in interior portion 20 of vehicle 10 such as an interior surface of body 12. Button 52 may serve as a back button or other button and may be formed from a capacitive touch sensor button pad, a movable button member that actuates an associated tactile switch or dome switch, or other suitable button. Rotatable knob 54, which may serve as a volume adjustment knob, may have a sensor that is configured to measure rotation of knob 54 and may optionally have a motor for rotating knob 54.

[0024] Controller 30 in the example of FIG. 2 also contains rotatable knob 42. Knob 42 has a rotating member such as knob member (knob) 32. Knobs 42 and 54 may be circular knobs that rotate about a central axis (see, e.g., rotation axis 38 of knob member 32) or may have other shapes. Knob system 44 may be coupled to knob member 32 by shaft 46. System 44 may include actuator 48 and sensor 50. Actuator 48 may include a force-feedback motor or other motor that can apply torque to knob 32 via shaft 46. Using applied torque, actuator 48 can implement various different knob behaviors for knob 42.

[0025] Sensor 50 may use an optical rotation sensor, a capacitive rotation sensor, a magnetic rotation sensor such as a hall effect sensor, or other rotation measurement component that is separate from the force-feedback motor of actuator 48 to measure rotation of knob member 32 and/or may make measurements on rotation of knob member 32 and/or force applied to knob member 32 by monitoring the current in the force-feedback motor. During operation, direct and derived measurements may be made by sensor 50 on the angular position of knob member 32 about axis 38, the angular velocity of knob member 32 about axis 38, the angular acceleration of knob member 32 about axis 38, and/or the torque applied to knob member 32 about axis 38. A user may supply input to knob 42 by rotating knob member 32 about axis 38 while sensor 50 gathers these measurements. If desired, knob 42 may include sensors such as illustrative sensor 40 and/or illustrative sensor 34. Sensor 40 may be, for example, a touch sensor (e.g., a touch sensor that forms part of a display or a touch sensor that does not form part of a display), a force sensor, a button switch, a proximity sensor, and/or other sensor. Sensor 34 may be, for example, a squeeze sensor that can detect radially inward pressure on sidewalls 36 of knob member 32 (e.g., a ring-shaped capacitive force sensor that extends along the circular periphery of knob member 32 and that is deformed inwardly when knob member 32 is squeezed by a user). Arrangements in which a ring-shaped touch sensor detects user touch input to the sides of member 32 may also be used. If desired, other types of sensors can be provided on knob member 32, if desired. When knob 42 is provided with multiple sensors, one of the sensors (e.g., sensor 50) can be used to measure rotation of knob 42 and one of the sensors can be used to detect a finger press or squeeze. Knob rotation may be used to navigate between items in a list or to adjust an analog gauge (as examples). Finger presses, touch input from one or more fingers, or finger squeezes may be used to initiate action based on an item that has been selected (e.g., highlighted) by knob rotation. For example, knob 42 may be rotated to move between items in a list and may be pressed or squeezed to play a highlighted song from the list. In some arrangements, rotation of knob 42 may be used to adjust a speed of a fan, a light output level for a light, a speed for windshield wipers, or may be used to make another analog setting adjustment for a component (vehicle system) in vehicle 10. In arrangements in which knob 42 contains a touch screen or other touch-sensitive device, user gestures such as swipe gestures may be received from users (e.g., to change the operating mode of vehicle 10 so that, for example, a change is made to the vehicle operation being controlled by the controller system containing controllers 30). [0026] The controllers of vehicle 10 may be detachable. Controllers may be wired or wireless. Each of multiple users in vehicle 10 may be provided with a respective controller (input device) 30. Consider, as an example, vehicle 10 of FIG. 3. As shown in this example, vehicle 10 may contain four users: user A, user B, user C, and user D. Each user may occupy a different seat in interior region 20 of body 12 and may be provided with a different controller 30. For example, user A may be provided with a first controller 30A, user B may be provided with a second controller 30B, user C may be provided with a third controller 30C, and user D may be provided with a fourth controller 30D. The controller of each user may be located on an arm rest of the seat of that user, on an armrest or other portion of a door adjacent to that user, on a table adjacent to that user, or at another location that is adjacent to the user and the user’s seat and that is reachable by that user. It may or may not be possible for users to reach each other’s controllers. For example, it may be difficult or impossible for user A to reach controller 30B of user B, etc.

[0027] If desired, vehicle 10 may be provided with one or more additional devices for providing output and/or receiving input such as illustrative device 60. Device 60 may have a display such as display 62 (e.g., an organic light-emitting diode display, a liquid crystal display, or other display with an array of monochrome or colored pixels). Display 62 may be a touch screen display or may be insensitive to touch. In configurations in which display 62 is touch sensitive, a user may interact with display 62 by supplying touch commands such as swipe gestures and other user touch input. As an example, swipes may be used to change operating modes for device 60. Display 62 of FIG. 3 is circular, but other display shapes (e.g., rectangular shapes, etc.) may be used, if desired.

[0028] During operation, display 62 may be used to display menu options, vehicle component settings (e.g., a fan speed setting for a fan, a light level setting for a light, a volume setting for an audio system, etc.), and other information (e.g., destinations for an autonomous driving system, song titles or other media titles, etc. The information that is displayed on display 62 may, as an example, be information that relates to the operation of a vehicle component that affects multiple users. As an example, information on a vehicle operation such as a windshield wiper speed setting may be displayed on display 62 in a vehicle that has only a single set of wipers. Device 60 may, if desired, have a rotatable ring such as ring 64 that is couple to a rotation sensor. The sensor may detect when one of the users rotates ring 64 (e.g., to change a windshield wiper speed, to make other global settings adjustments, and/or to otherwise control vehicle operations). (If desired, this type of input mechanism may also be incorporated into knobs 42.) Other types of input devices (e.g., force sensors, buttons, gesture sensors, etc.) may be incorporated into device 60, if desired. Device 60 may be mounted in interior region 20 in a location that is reachable by one or more of the users. In some embodiments, device 60 can omit input components such as ring 64 and can be used solely for supplying output to users (e.g., visual output such as images, audio output, etc.). In other embodiments, device 60 has both input capabilities (e.g., to gather touch input, rotation input, force input, button press input, and/or other user input) and output capabilities. [0029] In addition to controlling vehicle operations with shared devices such as device 60, users in vehicle 10 may use their individual controllers (e.g., controllers 30A, 30B, 30C, and 30D in the example of FIG. 3) in controlling vehicle operations. Controllers (input devices) 30A, 30B, 30C, and 30C may include any suitable input components (touch sensors, force sensors, buttons, rotatable knobs, optical sensors for gathering gesture input, etc.). In an illustrative configuration, which is described herein as an example, each input device has a respective rotatable knob 42. Knobs 42 may use actuators 48 to implement force-feedback features (e.g., detents, end stops, etc.) and may use actuators 48 to cause the knobs 32 of secondary (inactive) users (users without control authority) to track the rotations made on the knob 32 of a primary (active) user (the user whose knob has been assigned control authority by the controller system).

[0030] Consider, as an example, the implementation of end stops, detents, variable damping/friction effects, and other knob behaviors (e.g., other force-feedback effects).

[0031] In each knob 42 of controller 30, actuator 48 can apply torque to knob member 32 to create angular limits for the rotation of knob member 32. These angular limits may sometimes be referred to as end stops. The locations of the end stops for knob member 32 may, if desired, be dynamically adjusted. For example, in one operating mode, knob member 32 may be allowed to rotate +/- 90° about axis 38, wherein in another operating mode, knob member 32 may be allowed to rotate +/- 60° about axis 38. The different operating modes may correspond to adjustments of different vehicle operations. For example, in a first operating mode, knob adjustments may be used in adjusting an audio system volume level, whereas in a second operating mode knob adjustments may be used in adjusting windshield wiper speed.

[0032] Torque can also be applied to knob member 32 using actuator 48 to create rotational detents. The detents may correspond to motion of a highlight region through a list of onscreen items displayed on a display. As a user rotates knob member 32, the highlight may be moved through each item in the list and each highlight position may be accompanied by corresponding detent. Detents may also be closely spaced (e.g., to create a ratchet effect). As with the end stops created for knob 42, force-feedback effects (knob behavior effects) such as rotational detents may be dynamically adjusted so that different patterns of detents may be presented in different operating modes, different patterns of detents may be presented depending on knob rotation direction, speed, acceleration, etc., so that detents may be removed completely in certain operating modes, etc. For example, in a first operating mode, a series of three rotational detents may be provided (e.g., to correspond to a list of three menu options on a display), in a second operating mode, a series of five rotational detents may be provided (e.g., to corresponding to a different on-screen list having five menu options), in a third operating mode, detents may be removed entirely (e.g., because knob 42 is being used to adjust an analog setting such as a volume level), whereas in a fourth operating mode detents may be closely spaced to create a ratcheting effect.

[0033] In addition to end stops and detents, actuator 48 may apply torque to knob 32 to implement other knob behaviors. As an example, actuator 48 may apply different amounts of rotational resistance (friction) so that the damping properties of the knob are varied in different operating modes. Damping effects can be constant (e.g., unvarying as a function of rotational position, velocity, and acceleration) and/or damping effects may be linearly and/or non-linearly proportional to rotation position, rotational velocity, rotational acceleration, and/or knob rotation direction. If desired, actuator 48 may be used to implement a selfcentering feature for the knob. Examples of knob functions that may benefit from selfcentering behavior include volume control, temperature control, time traveling forwards and backwards along a route on a map (e.g., a navigation system map), and zooming in and out on a map. With a self-centering knob, rotation of the knob clockwise from a central (selfcentered) position may be used to increase a zoom level, increase a volume level, move a cursor forward along a route, etc., whereas rotation of the knob in a counter clockwise may be used to produce an opposite effect. The amount of change of an operating parameter that is created by knob rotation (sometimes referred to as knob gain) may, if desired, be proportional to the amount of rotation of the knob away from the central self-centered position of the knob. For example, the amount of increase of a volume level setting per unit time may be greater when a knob is rotated farther in a clockwise direction away from the central position than when the knob is not rotated as far from the central portion.

[0034] Knob sharing functionality is another aspect of knob behavior that may be adjusted using actuator 48. When multiple knobs in vehicle 10 are being turned simultaneously by different users, priority (sometimes referred to as control authority) may be assigned to the knob of one user (sometimes referred to as a primary user or active user), whereas secondary users (sometimes referred to as inactive users) are prevented from providing knob input with their knobs. Knob input from inactive users may be handled in one or more ways. For example, in an illustrative configuration, inactive users may be allowed to rotate their knobs freely, but knob input from the inactive users may be effectively ignored by not using this input to adjust any vehicle operations. In another illustrative configuration, the actuators of the knobs of the inactive users may be used to rotate their knobs so that their knobs track the rotation of the primary user’s knob by the primary user. In this way, the inactive users are notified that they are not currently the active user and are notified of the current setting adjustment that is being made by the active user. If, as an example, the primary user is rotating the active user’s knob clockwise to increase a windshield wiper speed, the inactive users may detect (by feeling the tracked rotations of their knobs) that the windshield wiper speed is being increased. If desired, the knobs of the inactive users may be locked in place by their actuators. Combinations of these arrangements (e.g., ignoring knob input from inactive users, rotating the knobs of the inactive users in tandem with the knob of the active user, and/or locking the knobs of the inactive users while gathering knob rotation input from the active user) and/or other controller sharing arrangements may be used, if desired.

Arrangements in which different users are allowed to simultaneously use their controllers to control different respective vehicle operations may also be used in the controller system of vehicle 10.

[0035] As these examples demonstrate, the implementation of end stops, detents, and other knob behaviors by systems 44 of knobs 42 may be dynamically adjusted depending on context (e.g., human machine interface context). Different patterns of end stops, detents, knob damping, self-centering functionality, knob tracking/locking behavior, knob sensitivity (e.g., how adjustments are made in a linear and/or non-linear fashion based on measured knob rotational position, velocity, and/or acceleration), and/or other aspects of knob behavior may be varied depending on operating mode (e.g., which vehicle operation is being adjusted), depending on user-specified settings, depending on operating context (e.g., the current location of vehicle 10, ambient lighting conditions, and/or other environmental conditions), and/or other factors.

[0036] If desired, a priority queue may be used in allocating controller authority (e.g., knob control authority, sometimes referred to as priority) among multiple competing users who each have their own controller 30 (and therefore their own knob 42). The use of a four- element priority queue in arbitrating between controller authority requests (e.g., knob authority requests from four different users (e.g., users A, B, C, and D of FIG. 3) is illustrated in FIG. 4. This approach may also be used in vehicles with different numbers of users.

[0037] In the example of FIG. 4, the priority queue has four slots: Pl, P2, P3, and P4. The user in primary slot Pl is the active (primary) user and has control authority. The users in slots P2, P3, and P4 are inactive users and do not have control authority. If a user touches, rotates, attempts to rotate by applying torque, and/or otherwise attempts to use that user’s knob or other portion of that user’s controller 30, the controller system treats that user as having requested control authority and places the user into queue 80 in the next available slot (starting with slot Pl followed in order by slots P2, P3, and P4). If, as an example, slot Pl is already occupied, the inactive user requesting control authority will be placed in slot P2. When the active user relinquishes control, the P2 user is given control authority and any users in slots P3 and P4 are advanced in the queue according.

[0038] In the FIG. 4 example, the priority queue initially contains no entries, because none of the users are attempting to make adjustments to knobs 42 (see, e.g., empty queue 70). In this state, any of the users may rotate their knobs to control a vehicle operation. In the example of FIG. 4, user A is the first user to supply user input. For example, user A may rotate knob 42 in controller 30A to adjust the speed of windshield wipers in vehicle 10. In response to detection that user A has supplied knob input with knob 42 of user A, end stops for the knob of user A may be implemented at appropriate angular limits, optional detents may be created, and/or other knob behaviors may be implemented that are associated with the vehicle operation to be controlled. Based on the user input from user A, the vehicle operation (e.g., wiper speed) may be adjusted, display 62 of device 60 (or a display on knob 42 or elsewhere in controller 30) may be updated (e.g., to display the currently selected windshield wiper speed), and the indicator “A” may be placed in slot Pl of the priority queue (see, e.g., updated priority queue 72) to indicate that user A is the current active user and has control authority over the vehicle operation (e.g., windshield wiper vehicle operation).

[0039] While user A is the active user, users B, C, and D are inactive and cannot make adjustments to the windshield wipers. The knob positions for user’s B, C, and D may be adjusted by their actuators so that they track the knob position of user A, but no user input from the knobs of users B, C, or D will affect the windshield wiper speed setting. When tracking the knob of the active user, the knobs of the inactive users may sometimes be said to operate in a secondary/follower mode. Although users B, C, and D are inactive, sensors in the knobs of users B, C, and D can be used to monitor whether users B, C, and D are attempting to use their knobs (e.g., by touching, attempting to rotate, or otherwise supplying user input to these knobs). If one of users B, C, or D attempts to make a knob adjustment with their knob, that user will be placed in the priority queue. In the FIG. 4 example, user C attempts to use the knob of user C to make an adjustment while user A is still active. Upon detecting the attempted knob use by user C, user C is placed in the priority queue in slot P2, as shown by queue 74. If user B then attempts to make an adjustment while user A is active, user B can be placed in the queue behind user C (see, e.g., queue 76 in which indicator “B” is placed in slot P3). If user C or B stops providing knob input for a predetermined amount of time, that user can be removed from the queue and the priority position of the remaining user(s) advanced accordingly. In response to detecting that the active user (user A in this example) has stopped supplying input for a predetermined amount of time (e.g., because one or more predetermined active knob usage criteria is no longer being satisfied), it can be concluded that the active user has relinquished control. Examples of factors that may be used in determining when user A’s knob has been relinquished include determining that the velocity of the knob has fallen below a predetermined threshold velocity, the motor output current from the motor in actuator 48 has fallen below a predetermined current level, that knob position changes have fallen below a predetermined magnitude over a predetermined time, that the user has released the knob and is therefore no longer touching the knob, and/or other knob usage criteria). The active user (user A in this example) may then be removed from the priority queue and the other users advanced in position (see, e.g., queue 78 of FIG. 4). The user that was in slot P2 takes over the user in slot Pl and becomes the active user with control authority. In the present example, user C becomes the active user so that the knob of user C is given authority, user B is moved to the P2 slot indicating that inactive user B is next in line to receive control authority, and users A and D are inactive (and are not the in priority queue in this example).

[0040] FIG. 5 is a flow chart of illustrative operations involved in using a controller system with multiple controllers 30 associated with multiple respective users in vehicle 10 (e.g., while maintaining a priority queue for the users).

[0041] During the operations of block 90, the user input devices in the controllers of multiple users are monitored for input. As described in connection with FIG. 4, for example, the knobs in controllers 30A, 30B, 30C, and 30D are monitored to determine whether users A, B, C, and D respectively are supplying user input to the knobs. Sensors in the knobs may detect knob rotation, knob contact (e.g., using touch sensor circuitry), applied knob torque, and/or other user knob activity (user input). Using a knob priority queue system or other system for arbitrating between conflicting user knob activities, a priority queue of the type shown in FIG. 4 or other priority ratings may be maintained. With this system, knob control authority can be given to an active user while inactive users are arranged in priority order in a queue. The knob activity of the active user can be used in controlling a vehicle operation and optional information on the status of the vehicle operation can be displayed on a display such as display 62, displays in controllers 30 (e.g., in or adjacent to knobs 42), and/or other displays. The knob activity of the active user may also be monitored to determine when the active user stops actively using the knob. When the user stops activity using the knob and thereby relinquishes control authority to the knob of the next user in the queue, the priority queue may be updated during the operations of block 92. As indicated by line 94, operations may then loop back to block 90 so that the new active user can make knob adjustments to control a vehicle operation.

[0042] In accordance with an embodiment, a vehicle is provided that includes a vehicle body, and a controller system having a plurality of rotatable knobs within the vehicle body, each rotatable knob having a sensor configured to measure rotation of the rotatable knob, the controller system is configured to arbitrate amongst the rotatable knobs by assigning control authority to a given one of the rotatable knobs so that a given rotatable knob controls an adjustable vehicle operation while the rotatable knobs other than the given rotatable knob are not assigned control authority and are not used in adjusting the adjustable vehicle operation. [0043] In accordance with another embodiment, each rotatable knob is operable by a respective user in the vehicle body, the rotatable knobs each have an actuator, the controller system is configured to use the sensor of the given rotatable knob to measure rotation of the given rotatable knob, and the controller system is configured to use the actuators in the rotatable knobs other than the given rotatable knob to rotate the rotatable knobs other than the given rotatable knob to track the measured rotation of the given rotatable knob.

[0044] In accordance with another embodiment, the vehicle includes a component associated with the adjustable vehicle operation, the component includes a component selected from the group consisting of windshield wipers, a light, a heating and air- conditioning component, an audio system, and an autonomous driving system.

[0045] In accordance with another embodiment, the controller system is configured to use the actuators to implement dynamically configurable end stops for each of the rotatable knobs.

[0046] In accordance with another embodiment, the controller system is configured to use the actuators to implement dynamically configurable detents for each of the rotatable knobs. [0047] In accordance with another embodiment, the controller system is configured to use the actuators to provide force-feedback effects for the rotatable knobs that vary based on knob rotation direction.

[0048] In accordance with another embodiment, the controller system is configured to use the actuators to provide rotation resistance for the rotatable knobs that is varied as a function of at least one parameter measured by the sensor, the at least one parameter includes a parameter selected from the group consisting of rotational knob position, rotational knob velocity, rotational knob acceleration, and knob rotation direction.

[0049] In accordance with another embodiment, the controller system is configured to use the actuators to self center the rotatable knobs.

[0050] In accordance with an embodiment, a vehicle is provided that includes a vehicle body having a plurality of seats, and a controller system, the controller system has a plurality of rotatable knobs, each rotatable knob is reachable from a respective one of the seats, each rotatable knob has a rotation sensor to gather user input and has a motor, the controller system is configured to operate the rotatable knobs in a first mode in which the rotatable knobs control a first vehicle operation and not a second vehicle operation, the controller system is configured to operate the rotatable knobs in a second mode in which the knobs control a second vehicle operation and not the first vehicle operation, and the controller system is configured to use the motors to provide a first knob behavior to the rotatable knobs in the first mode and a second knob behavior that is different than the first knob behavior to the rotatable knobs in the second mode.

[0051] In accordance with another embodiment, the controller system is configured to arbitrate between the rotatable knobs to assign a given one of the rotatable knobs control authority to adjust the first vehicle operation during operation in the first mode.

[0052] In accordance with another embodiment, the controller system is configured to maintain a priority queue that indicates which of the rotatable knobs has control authority and that indicates whether any of the remaining knobs have been used to attempt to adjust the first vehicle operation during adjustment of the first vehicle operation with the given rotatable knob in the first mode.

[0053] In accordance with another embodiment, the first knob behavior is characterized by a first resistance to knob rotation and the second knob behavior is characterized by a second resistance to knob rotation that is different than the first resistance.

[0054] In accordance with another embodiment, the first knob behavior is characterized by a first set of rotational detents and the second knob behavior is characterized by a second set of rotational detents that are different than the first set of rotational detents.

[0055] In accordance with another embodiment, the first knob behavior is characterized by a first set of rotational end stops and the second knob behavior is characterized by a second set of rotational end stops that are different than the first set of rotational end stops.

[0056] In accordance with an embodiment, a vehicle is provided that includes a vehicle body having a plurality of seats, and a controller system operable to control a vehicle operation, controller system has a plurality of input devices each of which is reachable from a respective one of the seats, the controller system is configured to dynamically assign control authority to a given one of the input devices so that exclusively that given input device among the plurality of input devices is operable to control the vehicle operation.

[0057] In accordance with another embodiment, each input device includes a rotatable knob.

[0058] In accordance with another embodiment, each rotatable knob has a sensor and the controller system is configured to reassign the control authority to one of the input devices that is different from the given input device in response to detection with the sensor of the rotatable knob of the given input device that control authority has been relinquished.

[0059] In accordance with another embodiment, the controller system is configured to detect that the control authority of the given input device has been relinquished by detecting that user input to the sensor of the rotatable knob of the given input device is no longer satisfying at least one active knob usage criteria.

[0060] In accordance with another embodiment, each of the input devices has a motor coupled to the rotatable knob of that input device and the controller system is configured to use the motors to provide each of the rotatable knobs with a rotation resistance that is adjusted based on at least one of: knob rotation direction, knob rotation position, knob rotation velocity, and knob rotation acceleration.

[0061] In accordance with another embodiment, the vehicle has a component selected from the group consisting of a media playback system, a heating and air-conditioning system, a lighting system, and a driving system component and the vehicle operation includes operation of the component.

[0062] The foregoing is merely illustrative and various modifications can be made to the described embodiments. The foregoing embodiments may be implemented individually or in any combination.