Dual-mode controller

A method comprising:

• communicating, by processing circuitry of a vehicular controller, with a plurality of peripheral subsystems, the plurality of peripheral subsystems including two or more of a location positioning subsystem, a fishing guide subsystem, a navigation subsystem, an engine control subsystem, and a sonar subsystem, wherein
• a portion of the plurality of peripheral subsystems include at least one of sensors and transducers, and
• the vehicular controller houses the processing circuitry and further comprises a first display screen, and
• input-output interfaces for communicating with the plurality of peripheral subsystems;
• connecting, by the processing circuitry via a first wireless communication link, to a personal computing device of a user;
• receiving, by the processing circuitry via the first wireless communication link, a signal from the connected personal computing device indicative of interaction by the user with the personal computing device;
• and
• responsive to receiving the signal from the personal computing device indicative of the user interaction with the personal computing device, switching, by the processing circuitry, between a first operational mode and a second operational mode of the vehicular controller, wherein
• operating in the first operational mode comprises providing, by the processing circuitry at the first display screen of the vehicular controller, a command entry interface for user entry of commands for controlling performance of the plurality of peripheral subsystems by the vehicular controller, and
• operating in the second operational mode includes accepting, by the processing circuitry, commands for controlling performance of at least one of the plurality of peripheral subsystems entered by the user via the personal computing device, wherein when in the second operational mode, the processing circuitry enables the personal computing device to
• communicate with a portion of the at least one of the plurality of peripheral subsystems, whereby
• the user's control of certain of the plurality of peripheral subsystems is enhanced by the user's familiarity with interface features of the personal computing device.

A system comprising:

• a vehicular controller comprising a first processor, a first non-transitory machine-readable memory, and a first display interface, wherein
• the vehicular controller is configured for coupling to a personal computing device via a first wireless communication link, the personal computing device comprising a second processor, second non-transitory computer-readable memory, and a second display interface;
• and
• a plurality of subsystems coupled to and in communication with the vehicular controller, the plurality of subsystems comprising two or more of a location positioning subsystem, a fishing guide subsystem, a navigation subsystem, an engine control subsystem, and a sonar subsystem, wherein a portion of the plurality of peripheral subsystems include at least one of sensors and transducers;
• wherein the first processor is operative to switch the controller between a first operational mode and a second operational mode responsive to receipt of a signal from the personal computing device indicative of a user interaction with the personal computing device to enter the second operational mode, wherein,
• when in the first operational mode, the display interface of the controller serves as a command entry interface for user entry of commands controlling performance of the plurality of peripheral subsystems, and
• wherein, when in the second operational mode, the processor enables the personal computing device to
• a) serve as a primary command entry interface for one or more of the plurality of peripheral subsystems, and
• b) communicate with a portion of subsystems of the one or more of the plurality of peripheral subsystems, wherein
• the vehicular controller routes data between the personal computing device and the one or more of the plurality of peripheral subsystems.