PATENT DOCUMENT

Publication Number: US-11995253-B1
Application Number: US-202318297539-A
Country: US
Kind Code: B1

Title: Systems with deployable controllers and user identification

Abstract:
A controller may have an input device and a sensor adjacent to the input device. The input device may be a touch sensor, a touch screen display, a button, a rotatable knob, or other device that gathers user input. The input device may be reachable by different users occupying different respective seats. The sensor may be an infrared optical sensor that emits infrared light and measures the emitted infrared light after the emitted infrared light has reflected from the hand of a user. The sensor may determine from these hand measurements which of the different users is supplying user input to the input device. Hand distance information and other information on the current user of the input device may also be gathered. The input device may be deployed by an actuator based on hand speed information.

Claims:
What is claimed is: 
     
       1. A system, comprising:
 first and second seats; 
 a knob that is configured to gather user input from a seat occupant located in one of the first and second seats; and 
 a sensor having a photodetector that is configured to measure hand reflections of infrared light as the knob is gathering the user input from the seat occupant, wherein the sensor is configured to use the measured hand reflections to determine whether the seat occupant is a) in the first seat and not in the second seat or b) is in second seat and not in the first seat. 
 
     
     
       2. The system defined in  claim 1  wherein the sensor comprises first and second infrared light sources and wherein the infrared light is emitted by the first and second infrared light sources. 
     
     
       3. The system defined in  claim 2  wherein the knob is configured to rotate. 
     
     
       4. The system defined in  claim 3  wherein the knob comprises a disk configured to move between a stowed position and a deployed position. 
     
     
       5. The system defined in  claim 4  further comprising a body having an interior region, the system further comprising a support in the interior region that has an opening and that has an exposed surface that faces the interior region, wherein the disk comprises a rotatable disk that moves within the opening. 
     
     
       6. The system defined in  claim 5  wherein the knob further comprises an actuator configured to move the rotatable disk. 
     
     
       7. The system defined in  claim 6  wherein the rotatable disk comprises an outer surface, and wherein the actuator is configured to move the rotatable disk between the stowed position in which the outer surface is flush with the exposed surface and the deployed position in which the outer surface is proud of the exposed surface. 
     
     
       8. The system defined in  claim 1  further comprising a vehicle body having an interior region, wherein the first and second seats are in the interior region and wherein the sensor comprises an infrared sensor. 
     
     
       9. The system defined in  claim 8  wherein the infrared sensor comprises first and second infrared light sources, wherein the infrared light is emitted by the first and second infrared light sources, wherein the first infrared light source is off whenever the second infrared light source is on, and wherein the second infrared light source is off whenever the first infrared light source is on. 
     
     
       10. The system defined in  claim 9  wherein the knob is located between the first and second infrared light sources. 
     
     
       11. The system defined in  claim 1  wherein the sensor comprises an infrared sensor configured to measure hand velocity. 
     
     
       12. The system defined in  claim 11  wherein the knob has a rotation sensor configured to gather knob rotation input. 
     
     
       13. The system defined in  claim 12  further comprising a squeeze sensor on the knob that is configured to gather user knob squeezing input. 
     
     
       14. The system defined in  claim 12  further comprising a touch sensor on the knob that is configured to gather user touch input. 
     
     
       15. The system defined in  claim 12  further comprising an additional sensor coupled to the knob that is configured to gather finger press input. 
     
     
       16. A controller, comprising:
 a knob configured to gather knob rotation input from a user; and 
 an infrared optical hand position sensor adjacent to the knob that is configured to identify a seat location of the user by measuring emitted infrared light from the infrared optical hand position sensor after reflection from a hand of the user. 
 
     
     
       17. The controller defined in  claim 16  wherein the infrared optical hand position sensor comprises first and second light sources configured to emit infrared light. 
     
     
       18. The controller defined in  claim 17  wherein the infrared optical hand position sensor comprises a photodetector that measures the emitted infrared light after reflection from the hand, wherein the first light source is turned on to emit the infrared light only when the second light source is turned off, and wherein the second light source is turned on to emit the infrared light only when the first light source is turned off. 
     
     
       19. A controller, comprising:
 a knob that is configured to gather knob rotation input; and 
 an optical sensor adjacent to the knob, wherein the optical sensor has first and second infrared light sources and a photodetector and is configured to gather user seat location information associated with the knob rotation input. 
 
     
     
       20. The controller defined in  claim 19  wherein the optical sensor is configured to use the first and second infrared light sources to alternately emit infrared light while using the photodetector to measure the infrared light after the infrared light has been reflected to produce the user seat location information, wherein the knob has a rotation sensor configured to measure rotation of the knob to gather the knob rotation input, and wherein the user seat location information identifies a vehicle seat occupant who is providing the knob rotation input.

Description:
This application claims the benefit of provisional patent application No. 63/355,925, filed Jun. 27, 2022, which is hereby incorporated by reference herein in its entirety. 
    
    
     FIELD 
     This relates generally to systems with adjustable components, and, more particularly, controls for such systems. 
     BACKGROUND 
     Homes, offices, commercial facilities such as restaurants, theaters, and other venues, mobile systems, and other systems have lighting, air-conditioning, adjustable seating, and adjustable components that perform other functions. System users can use buttons and other controls to adjust the operation of these components. 
     SUMMARY 
     A controller in a system may have an input device and a sensor adjacent to the input device. The input device may be a touch sensor, a touch screen display, a button, a rotatable knob, or other device that gathers user input. The input device may be adjusted to control system operations such as operations associated with heating and air-conditioning, lighting, media playback, adjustable seat settings (e.g., seat tilt, lumbar support), etc. 
     The input device may be reachable by different users in different respective positions (e.g., different seating positions). The sensor may be an infrared optical sensor that emits infrared light and measures the emitted infrared light after the emitted infrared light has reflected from the hand of a user. The sensor may determine from these hand measurements which of the different users is supplying user input to the input device. This allows the operation of the input device in the controller to be customized for the user who is currently supplying user input to the input device. For example, if the sensor gathers user position information indicating that a user in a first position on the right side of a system is using the controller, the controller can adjust the lighting for the right-side user without making any changes to the lighting for an adjacent left-side user. 
     If desired, hand-to-controller distance information and other information on the current user of the controller may also be gathered. The input device may be deployed by an actuator based on hand speed information. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         FIG.  1    is a side view of an illustrative system in accordance with an embodiment. 
         FIG.  2    is a top view of an illustrative controller having an input device and associated sensor for determining which seat occupant is currently using the input device in accordance with an embodiment. 
         FIG.  3    is a side view of an illustrative optical sensor for detecting users&#39; hands and thereby monitoring user interactions with a controller in accordance with an embodiment. 
         FIG.  4    is a side view of an illustrative touch screen input device in accordance with an embodiment. 
         FIG.  5    is a side view of an illustrative button input device in accordance with an embodiment. 
         FIG.  6    is a side view of an illustrative deployable input device such as a deployable rotary knob in accordance with an embodiment. 
         FIG.  7    is a side view of an illustrative knob of the type that may have one or more sensors for gathering user input in accordance with an embodiment. 
         FIG.  8    is a flow chart of illustrative operations associated with using a controller in accordance with an embodiment. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
     A system such as a building for an office, home, restaurant, theater, or other venue or a mobile system may have controls. Controls may be provided to adjust interior and exterior lighting, climate control functions, media access functions, adjustable seating functions (e.g., seat tilt, etc.) and other functions. In an illustrative arrangement, which is described herein as an example, a system is provided with a controller having an associated sensor that identifies which of multiple seat occupants (sometimes referred to as users) is using the controller. This allows the controller to be shared. When the controller is being manipulated, system adjustments can be made that are specific to the current user of the controller. For example, if the controller is used to adjust lighting, the lighting associated with the current user of the controller can be adjusted while the lighting for other system users can remain unchanged. 
     The controller may have an input device such as a rotary knob or other input device. If desired, the controller may have an input device that is deployed as a user reaches for the controller. 
       FIG.  1    is a side view of a portion of an illustrative system that may be provided with one or more controllers. The system of  FIG.  1    may be a building such as an office building, a home, a restaurant, a theater, another structure with seating, or a mobile system. During use of the system, a controller can use its input device to receive user input. This user input can be used to adjust system components. For example, in a scenario in which the input device is a rotary knob, knob input from the knob can be used to adjust the intensity of light that is output from lighting, may be used to adjust the temperature of an air conditioning system, may be used to adjust the volume of audio that is output from speaker, may be used to adjust the amount that an adjustable seat is tilted, and/or may be used to make other system component adjustments. 
     The system may have components that are specific to particular users and that users therefore desire to control individually. For example, in a theater, each user may sit in a different respective adjustable seat. Each user desires to adjust their seat separately to optimize the seat for their own comfort. Similarly, users may wish to independently adjust user-specific components such as user-specific task lighting, user-specific speakers in an audio system, user-specific fan settings in an air-conditioning system, etc. 
     To allow users of the system of  FIG.  1    to make individual adjustments without using separate controllers, a controller can be shared between multiple users in multiple respective user positions (e.g., users sitting in adjacent seats). The shared controller uses a sensor that identifies the position (and therefore the seat location) of the current user who is manipulating the controller&#39;s knob (or other input device). In this way, the controller can be shared between multiple users, while still supporting the ability for each user to make adjustments to user-specific system components. Because the controller can be shared by adjacent users in adjacent seats, the controller may be used in systems where space is at a premium (e.g., a small room, the interior of a mobile system such as a vehicle, etc.). Configurations in which the controller is being used in a confined space such as a mobile system (e.g., a vehicle) are described herein as an example. In general, the controller may be used in any system with multiple users (e.g., systems with multiple users in multiple respective positions such as multiple respective seating positions). 
     The illustrative system of  FIG.  1    is a vehicle. Vehicle  10  of  FIG.  1    may be the type of vehicle that carries passengers (e.g., an automobile, truck, or other automotive vehicle). 
     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. 
     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. In non-vehicle systems, body  12  may include building structures such as walls enclosing interior regions such as rooms. 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 ). 
     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 more passengers or fewer passengers. 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. 
     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 system, for receiving user input to adjust lighting, media playback, heating and air-conditioning, and other vehicle operations, and for receiving other user input. In an illustrative configuration, vehicle  10  includes at least one controller that has a sensor that monitors interactions with vehicle occupants (sometimes referred to as seat occupants or users). The sensor may, as an example, identify which of multiple users is reaching for and interacting with the controller. 
     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 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 application-specific integrated circuits with processing circuitry, one or more microprocessors, a central processing unit (CPU) or other processing circuitry. 
     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. 
       FIG.  2    is a top view of a portion of interior region  20  showing how multiple users may share a controller. As shown in  FIG.  2   , vehicle  10  may include seating (a bench seat with two seating positions, adjacent bucket seats, etc.) with multiple seating positions such as left seat  24 A and right seat  24 B. Left and right users may respectively occupy these seats. Controller  34  may be located within reach of both of the users while the users are seated in seats  24 A and  24 B. For example, controller  34  may be reachable by both the left seat occupant and the right seat occupant. To be reachable by seat occupants, controller  34  is preferably within 1 m of the chests of the seat occupants and therefore within 1 m of both left seat  24 A and right seat  24 B. This allows seat occupants with a typical arm length of about 1 m to manipulate controller  34  with their fingers. If desired, controller  34  may be located at a different distance from seats  24 A and  24 B to be reachable (e.g., within 1.5 m, within 1.2 m, within 0.8 m, within 0.5 m, etc.). Controller  34  may include an input-output device such as device  30  and sensor  32 . Device  30  may be a knob or other device for gathering user input. Sensor  32 , which may sometimes be referred to as a user identity sensor or seat occupant identity sensor, may be used to determine which user (the left or right seat occupant in this scenario) is currently using sensor  30 . This allows controller  34  to be shared between the left and right users. 
     Consider, as an example, a scenario in which components  26  include a left interior light that illuminates seat  24 A and a right interior light that illuminates seat  24 B. Sensor  32  may be an optical sensor such as an infrared optical sensor that emits light and detects light reflected from users&#39; hands. During operation, sensor  32  can determine whether the left user or the right user is reaching out to operate device  30 . When the left user is using device  30 , the left user&#39;s hand (and arm) will be outstretched along path  36 A of  FIG.  2    and will be detected by sensor  32  as being located to the left of device  30 . When, however, the right user is using device  30 , sensor  32  will detect that the right user&#39;s hand (and arm) are outstretched along a different path (path  36 B of  FIG.  2   ). 
     Because sensor  32  can determine which user is manipulating (or about to manipulate) device  30 , the actions taken by controller  34  can be individualized based on the detected identity of the current user of controller  34 . When it is determined that the left user is using device  30 , user input to device  30  can be used to adjust vehicle settings associated with the left user, whereas when it is determined that the right user is using device  30 , the user input received by device  30  can be used to adjust vehicle settings associated with the right user. 
     In the present example, adjustments to device  30  to adjusting the interior illumination of vehicle  10  can be personalized. If the left user makes a lighting adjustment with device  30 , the amount of light being output from the left interior light may be adjusted without adjusting the amount of light being output from the right interior light. If the right user makes a lighting adjustment with device  30 , the right interior light may be adjusted without adjusting the left interior light. Personalized (user-specific) adjustments to other vehicle settings may also be made using controller  34 . As an example, vehicle  10  may include separately adjustable left speakers and right speakers and controller  34  may make volume adjustments to the speaker associated with the currently active user of controller  34 . Vehicle  10  may also allow individualized adjustments to be made to the positions of seats  24 A and  24 B, may allow customized lists of media to be displayed for each user, may allow customized adjustments to user-specific heating and air-conditioning components (e.g., by adjusting left user&#39;s climate control system or the right user&#39;s climate control system), and/or may allow other individualized adjustments to be made to the components of vehicle  10 . 
     Sensor  32  may be a capacitive sensor (e.g., a capacitive sensor that can detect hand movements at a distance), may be an optical sensor (e.g., an image sensing system having one or more cameras), may be an infrared optical sensor with one or more light emitters and one or more light detectors configured to make spatial measurements on nearby objects, and/or may be any other type of sensor that may detect user body parts as the users interact with device  30 . In an illustrative configuration, which is shown in  FIG.  3   , sensor  32  has one or more light sources such as left light source  34 L and right light source  34 R. Light sources  34 L and  34 R may each include one or more light-emitting devices such as light-emitting diodes and/or lasers. In an illustrative configuration, light sources  24 L and  34 R emit infrared light (e.g., light sources  34 L and  34 R may each include one or more infrared light-emitting diodes and/or one or more infrared lasers that emit infrared light). The infrared light may be emitted upwardly so that when the users&#39; hands pass along paths such as paths  36 A and  36 B, the hands will be illuminated by the infrared light. Reflected infrared light from the users&#39; hands may be detected by photodetector  36  (e.g., a photodiode, a phototransistor, or other photosensor). 
     In this type of arrangement, sensor  32  may illuminate light sources  34 L and  34 R separately (e.g., in alternation with a period of ten ms or other suitable alternation rate) to allow sensor  32  to distinguish between the presence of the left user&#39;s hand over the left portion of sensor  32  and the presence of the right user&#39;s hand over the right portion of sensor  32 . When operated in alternation, light source  34 L is turned on while light source  34 R is turned off and then light source  34 L is turned off while light source  34 R is turned on. This process continues so that only a single light source is on at any time (e.g., light source  34 L is on, then light source  34 R is on, then light source  34 L is on, then light source  34 R is on, and so forth) while the photodetector of sensor  32  is gathering hand reflection measurements. 
     Light source  34 L and light source  34 R are never turned on together, so at any given time only light source  34 L or light source  34 R is active. In a typical scenario, the periods of time for which light sources  34 L and  34 R are activated are of the same length. For example, light source  34 L may be turned on for 10 ms and then light source  34 R may be turned on for 10 ms and so on for the duration of the sensing operations of sensor  32 . Arrangements in which light sources  34 L and  34 R are turned on and off for periods of time that differ from each other may also be used. 
     In an illustrative embodiment, light sources  34 L and  34 R activate in alternation with a frequency of 10 Hz to 1 MHz. If desired, the frequency with which sources  34 L and  34 R are turned on and off may also be at least 1 Hz, at least 5 Hz, at least 10 Hz, at least 30 Hz, at least 100 Hz, at least 1 kHz, at least 10 kHz, at least 100 kHz, less than 10 MHz, less than 1 MHz, less than 100 kHz, less than 10 kHz, less than 1 kHz, less than 100 Hz, or other suitable frequency. 
     As shown in  FIG.  3   , when light source  34 R is active, righthand light  38 R is produced, which will reflect from the hand of the right user (right hand RH) and will be subsequently detected by photodetector  36 . The distance of the user&#39;s right hand from sensor  32  (and therefore from device  30 ) can be determined by measuring the intensity of light  38 R at photodetector  36 . If the user&#39;s hand is close, the signal at photodetector  36  will be relatively high. If the user&#39;s hand is farther (see, e.g., hand position RH′), light  38 R′ will still reflect from the right user&#39;s hand to photodetector  36 , but will be weaker due to the larger distance of the hand to sensor  32  (e.g., to photodetector  36 ). In the event that light source  34 R is emitting light, but no light from light source  34 R is being reflected back to photodetector  36 , it can be concluded that the user&#39;s hand is not present above the right side of sensor  32 . 
     Accordingly, by alternating back and forth between sources  34 L and  34 R, sensor  32  can determine whether or not a user′ hand is present in the vicinity of control  34  and can, when a hand is detected, determine whether the hand that is being detected is above right light source  34 R (and is therefore associated with the right user) or is above left light source  34 L and is therefore associated with the left user (see, e.g., illustrative left hand LH of a left user and corresponding reflected light  38 L from left light source  34 L of  FIG.  3   ). By determining whether the user&#39;s hand is above light source  34 L or  34 R, sensor  32  can determine whether the user is occupying left seat  24 A or is occupying right seat  24 B. In this way, sensor  32  may use measured hand reflections to determine whether the seat occupant who is providing input to device  30  is in the first or second seat. 
     In addition to detecting whether a left user&#39;s hand or right user&#39;s hand is present in the vicinity of photodetector  36 , sensor  32 , and controller  34 , the measurements made with sensor  32  can be used to determine how quickly a user&#39;s hand is moving (e.g., by measuring the distance of the user&#39;s hand at multiple different points in time and computing a hand velocity from the measured distance and time information) and can determine the direction of hand movement (e.g., towards or away from sensor  32 ). During operation, control  34  (and, if desired, other components in vehicle  10 ) can take action based on one or more of these hand measurements (e.g., based on measured hand velocity information and/or measured hand movement direction information). For example, action can be taken based on whether or not a user&#39;s hand is present within the vicinity of photodetector  36 , sensor  32 , and/or control  34  (e.g., measured hand presence), action can be taken based in measured hand distance (e.g., the measured distance between a user&#39;s hand and photodetector  36 , sensor  32 , and/or control  34 ), and/or action can be taken based on measured hand velocity (e.g., the measured speed at which a user&#39;s hand is approaching photodetector  36 , sensor  32 , and/or control  34 ) and/or hand movement direction. 
     Examples of actions that can be taken based on hand presence, hand distance, hand movement direction, and/or hand velocity include adjusting the illumination of a light-emitting device associated with control  34  and/or other light-emitting circuitry, providing audio output from a speaker, providing haptic output, moving a movable portion of control  34 , adjusting which functions of vehicle  10  are controlled by the user input provided to control  34 , and/or other adjustments to the operation of control  34  and/or other components in vehicle  10 . 
       FIGS.  4 ,  5 , and  6    are cross-sectional side views of illustrative user input devices that may be incorporated into control  34 . These input devices may, if desired, supply haptic output, visual output (images, illumination, etc.), and/or audio output. 
     In the example of  FIG.  4   , device  30  has a touch sensor such as touch sensor  42 . Touch sensor  42  may be a capacitive touch sensor, an optical touch sensor, a resistive touch sensor, a sensor that detects touch using a strain gauge (e.g., a force-sensitive button), and/or other sensor that detects contact between a user&#39;s finger (e.g., finger  44 ) and device  30 . In the example of  FIG.  4   , sensor  42  is a capacitive touch sensor having one or more capacitive touch sensor electrodes  42 ′ for detecting changes in capacitance due to the presence or absence of finger  44 . In configurations in which there is a single electrode  42 ′, sensor  42  can detect finger press input. In configurations in which there are multiple electrodes  42 ′ (e.g., a two-dimensional array of electrodes  42 ′), sensor  42  can detect touch gestures (e.g., swipes, pinches, taps, etc.) and/or can be used to move a cursor or otherwise serve as a two-dimensional touch input device. Sensor  42  may optionally overlap light-emitting circuitry. For example, sensor  42  may overlap a light-emitting diode, a display formed from an array of light-emitting diodes such as organic light-emitting diodes, may overlap a pixel array formed from liquid crystal display pixels, and/or may overlap other pixel arrays (see, e.g., light-emitting circuitry  44 , which may be a pixel array or other light source supported on support structure  40 ). Configurations in which touch sensor electrodes for sensor  42  are incorporate into an organic light-emitting diode display or other array of pixels may be used, if desired. 
     In the example of  FIG.  5   , device  30  is a button having a movable button member such as movable button member  46 . Button member  46  may move up and down along directions  48  within an opening in structure  54  (sometimes referred to as a support structure or support). Switch  50  (e.g., a tactile switch or dome switch) may be mounted between support structures  52  (e.g., a printed circuit) and button member  46 . When a user presses on button member  46 , switch  50  may detect movement of button member  46  (e.g., switch  50  may open or close). In this way, user button press input may be gathered. 
     Another illustrative configuration for device  30  is shown in  FIG.  6   . In the example of  FIG.  6   , device  30  has a knob or button formed from movable member  58 . Member  58 , which may sometimes be referred to as a movable dial, movable circular knob structure, movable disk, movable user input disk, rotatable disk, movable rotatable disk, rotatable movable disk, etc., may move in and out of an opening in support structure  56  (sometimes referred to as a support) along axis  60 . For example, member  58  may move between a flush position (sometimes referred to as a stowed position) such as position  58 ′ in which the exposed surface of member  58  lies flush with the exposed surface of support structure  56  and a proud position such as position  58 ″ (sometimes referred to as a deployed position) in which the exposed surface of member  58  is proud of the exposed surface of structure  56  and therefore lies in a plane above the surface of support structure  56 . Support structure  56  (and, if desired, structure  40  of  FIG.  4    and structures  54  and  52  of  FIG.  5   ) may be attached to the interior of body  12  and/or may include portions of body  12 . 
     During operation of controller (control)  34 , member  30  of  FIG.  6    may be used to gather user input. For example, when member  58  is in deployed position  58 ″, a user grasp the sides of member  58 . System  62  may be coupled to member  58  and may include input-output components such as actuator  64  (e.g., one or more motors, linear electromagnetic actuators, etc.) and sensor  66 . Actuator  64  may be used to move member  58  outwardly along axis  60  (e.g., to move member  58  from its stowed position to its deployed position) and may be used to retract member  58  inwardly along axis  60  (e.g., to move member  58  from its deployed position to its stowed position). Actuator  64  may also be used to provide rotational force (torque) about axis  60  (e.g., to implement force feedback and thereby provide features such as rotational stops and rotational detents). Sensor  66  may include a sensor that detects the downward pressure (finger press input) on the exposed surface of member  58  and that detects rotational position of member  58  about axis  60 . For example, sensor  66  may include a force sensor that detects force along axis  60  and may include may include a rotational sensor (sometimes referred to as a rotation sensor) based on a rotational encoder and/or rotational sensor circuitry incorporated into a force feedback motor. This allows member  58  to serve as a knob that rotates about axis  60  (which serves as a rotational axis for the knob). The user may use rotation of member  58  to move an on-screen highlight (e.g., a cursor, highlight region, etc.) on a display in vehicle  10 . Rotation of member  58  may also be used to adjust audio volume, to adjust screen brightness, to tune a radio, to adjust a seat position, to change a fan speed or temperature setting, etc. 
     User input to select a highlighted option (e.g., a highlighted destination in a list of possible destinations for vehicle  10 , a highlighted media item in a list of media items, etc.) by pressing on member  58  (to provide finger press input detected by system  62 ), squeezing member  58 , pushing member  58  laterally (which can be sensed by system  62 ), and/or otherwise interacting with member  58  in a non-rotating fashion. In an illustrative configuration, the user may make a selection of a highlighted on-screen option by pressing inwardly on member  58  (e.g., sensor  66  may include a button press sensor such as a force sensor or other sensor that detects inward force along axis  60 ). If desired, member  58  may include a touch sensor such as touch sensor  42  of  FIG.  4    on its outer (top) surface and/or side surfaces, and/or may include a force sensor or button on its outer surface and/or side surfaces. 
     Arrangements such as these are illustrated in the cross-sectional side view of member  58  of  FIG.  7   . As shown in  FIG.  7   , member  58  may have a sensor such as sensor  70  on its outer (top) surface, may have a sensor that detects inward movement along axis  60  (see, e.g., sensor  72 , which may form part of sensor  66 ), and/or may have a sensor such as ring-shaped force sensor  74  that can detect when member sidewalls  58 W are squeezed inwardly (e.g., to inwardly deformed position  76 ). With sensor circuitry such as the illustrative sensor circuitry of  FIG.  7   , member  58  may receive button press input (downward force detected by sensor  72 ), touch input (a finger touch that contacts sensor  70 ), tilting input (when pressed laterally in a way that is detected by sensor  66  of  FIG.  6   ), and/or squeezing input (an inward squeeze that deforms sidewalls  58 W towards position  76  of  FIG.  7   ). If desired, other types of sensor (e.g., optical sensors, etc.) may be used by member  58  to gather user input (finger press input, touch input, squeeze input, lateral force input, etc.). The sensors of  FIG.  7    are illustrative. 
       FIG.  8    is a flow chart of illustrative operations involved in operating vehicle  10  and control  34 . During the operations of block  80 , sensor  32  may monitor for the presence of a hand of a user. For example, sensor  32  may alternate between emitting infrared light from light source  34 R and light source  34 L (and, if desired, additional light sources) while monitoring for reflected light at photodetector  36  (and, if desired, one or more additional photodetectors to provide additional spatial resolution). When reflected light is detected, the current location of the user&#39;s hand can be determined and the current user (seat occupant) can be identified. For example, it can be determined whether a left user&#39;s hand or right user&#39;s hand is present, thereby allowing the current user (e.g., the left user or right user) to be identified. Repeated measurements with sensor  32  during the operations of block  80  can reveal the direction of movement of the detected hand and the speed (velocity) of hand movement. For example, it may be determined that the detected hand will reach member  58  quickly (e.g., in 0.2 seconds as an example) or slowly (e.g., in 2 seconds as an example). Information on user hand identity, position, direction of movement, and/or speed (e.g., velocity towards member  58  or other portion of device  30 ) may then be used in taking suitable action. 
     As an example, during the operations of block  82 , actuator  64  may move member  58  of device  30  of  FIG.  6    from its stowed position to its deployed position. The deployment of member  58  in this way may be performed in response to detection of the presence of the user&#39;s hand and/or detection that the user&#39;s hand is moving towards member  58 . If desired, actuator  64  may move member  58  from position  58 ′ towards position  58 ″ at a speed that is chosen based on the measured speed of the user&#39;s hand towards member  58  that is measured with sensor  32 . In this way, member  58  may be deployed just before the user&#39;s hand reaches member  58 . If, as an example, it is determined from the measured speed of the user&#39;s hand that the user&#39;s hand will reach member  58  in 0.2 seconds, member  58  may be deployed at a speed that ensures that member  58  will be fully deployed in 0.1 seconds. If, however, it is determined from the measured speed of the user&#39;s hand that the user&#39;s hand will reach member  58  in 2 seconds, member  58  may be deployed at a sped that ensures that member  58  will be fully deployed in 1.9 seconds. By using a hand-velocity-dependent deployment speed in deploying member  58 , device  30  can be deployed sufficiently rapidly to ensure that device  30  will be ready for use by the user, without being deployed overly rapidly (which might not be aesthetically pleasing to the user). 
     If desired, device  30  may be deployed at a constant speed rather than a hand-velocity-dependent speed or may always be deployed. The use of a hand-velocity-dependent speed in deploying member  58  is illustrative. 
     During the operations of block  84 , controller  34  may use device  30  to gather user input (e.g., finger press input, finger touch input, knob rotation input, knob squeeze input, etc.) and can take suitable action. Because sensor  32  determines whether the left or right user is supplying input to device  30 , the actions that are taken in vehicle  10  in response to user input gathered with controller  34  can be based on the user&#39;s identity (e.g., the user&#39;s identity determined by the side of sensor  32  on which the user&#39;s hand was detected and/or the path along which the user&#39;s hand traveled to reach member  58 ). Examples of user-specific (seat-specific) actions that can be taken include adjusting a seat parameter (seat height, seat tilt, seat heating and cooling, seat massaging on/off, etc.) for the current user&#39;s seat (without adjusting the seats of other users), adjusting user-specific playback volume levels and/or other user-specific audio settings, using a display to present interactive users-specific lists such as user-specific media lists, user-specific message lists, user-specific destination lists, adjusting user-specific lights, adjusting user-specific windows, adjusting user-specific climate systems, and/or controlling other user-specific devices operating in vehicle  10 . 
     During use of vehicle  10 , information on users of vehicle  10  may be gathered. This information may include name information, biometric information, and/or other personal information. Best practices are preferably used to safeguard this information and protect user privacy. Such best practices may involve opt in procedures and opt out procedures and other procedures that help ensure that users can control their personal information and that help ensure that all applicable regulations are satisfied. 
     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.

Metadata:
Filing Date: 20230407
Publication Date: 20240528
Grant Date: 20240528
Priority Date: 20220627
Inventors: BEHZADI, ARIAN
SEWELL, JEFFREY A
KOOKER, ANDREW W
STIEHL, KURT R
Assignee: APPLE INC
CPC Classifications: [{"code": "G01S7/4815", "inventive": true, "first": false, "tree": "[]"}, {"code": "G06F3/0362", "inventive": true, "first": false, "tree": "[]"}, {"code": "G06F3/03547", "inventive": true, "first": false, "tree": "[]"}, {"code": "G01S17/08", "inventive": true, "first": true, "tree": "[]"}, {"code": "G06F3/0362", "inventive": true, "first": true, "tree": "[]"}, {"code": "G01S7/4815", "inventive": true, "first": false, "tree": "[]"}, {"code": "G01S17/08", "inventive": true, "first": false, "tree": "[]"}, {"code": "G06F3/03547", "inventive": true, "first": false, "tree": "[]"}, {"code": "G06F3/0362", "inventive": true, "first": true, "tree": "[]"}, {"code": "G01S17/08", "inventive": true, "first": false, "tree": "[]"}, {"code": "G01S7/4815", "inventive": true, "first": false, "tree": "[]"}, {"code": "G06F3/03547", "inventive": true, "first": false, "tree": "[]"}]
Family ID: 91196992