Method and apparatus for installing and operating an auxiliary lighting system using a trailer plug

Abstract

An auxiliary lighting system using a trailer plug is disclosed. A signal may be transmitted from a trailer plug to an auxiliary implement attached to a vehicle. The signal can be sent through a wire bundle or wirelessly using a transponder. In either case, the auxiliary lighting system does not require rewiring of the vehicle's wiring harness.

Having thus described the invention, it is now claimed: 
     
         1 . An auxiliary lighting system for use with an associated vehicle having at least one headlight, at least one tail light, and a trailer plug that indicates the condition of the vehicle's tail light; the auxiliary lighting system comprising:
 an auxiliary implement that is mountable to the associated vehicle;   an auxiliary lighting system including at least one auxiliary headlight that is operable to illuminate a ground surface in front of the associated vehicle in place of the vehicle headlight;   a transponder in electrical connection with the trailer plug, wherein the transponder is operable to transmit a wireless signal; and,   a controller comprising a microprocessor programmed to operate the at least one auxiliary headlight based directly or indirectly on the wireless signal; and,   wherein the microprocessor operates the auxiliary headlight into: (1) an on condition when the associated trailer plug indicates that the associated vehicle's tail light is in an on condition; and, (2) an off condition when the associated trailer plug indicates that the associated vehicle's tail light is in an off condition.   
     
     
         2 . (canceled) 
     
     
         3 . The auxiliary lighting system of  claim 1  wherein:
 the auxiliary lighting system comprises an auxiliary blinker light; and, 
 the microprocessor operates the auxiliary blinker light into: (1) a blinking condition when the associated trailer plug indicates that a blinker light on the associated vehicle is in a blinking condition; and, (2) an off condition when the associated trailer plug indicates that the blinker light on the associated vehicle is in an off condition. 
 
     
     
         4 . The auxiliary lighting system of  claim 1  wherein:
 the microprocessor operates the auxiliary headlight into: (1) an on condition or a blinking condition when the associated trailer plug indicates that a brake light on the associated vehicle is in an on condition; and, (2) an off condition when the associated trailer plug indicates that the brake light on the associated vehicle is in an off condition. 
 
     
     
         5 . The auxiliary lighting system of  claim 1  wherein:
 the transponder is powered by a connection of the trailer plug. 
 
     
     
         6 . The auxiliary lighting system of  claim 1  wherein:
 the transponder is powered by a power source that is not a vehicle battery. 
 
     
     
         7 . The auxiliary lighting system of  claim 1  wherein:
 the transponder is supported by the trailer plug. 
 
     
     
         8 . The auxiliary lighting system of  claim 1  wherein:
 the transponder is supported to a hitch receiver mounted to the associated vehicle. 
 
     
     
         9 . The auxiliary lighting system of  claim 1  wherein:
 the auxiliary implement is a snowplow assembly. 
 
     
     
         10 . The auxiliary lighting system of  claim 1  wherein:
 the at least one auxiliary light is powered by a vehicle battery not via the transponder 
 
     
     
         11 . The auxiliary lighting system of  claim 1  wherein:
 the controller comprises a receiver that receives the wireless signal. 
 
     
     
         12 . The auxiliary lighting system of  claim 1  wherein:
 the trailer plug comprises at least one connection that is terminated 
 
     
     
         13 - 20 . (canceled) 
     
     
         21 . An auxiliary lighting system method for use with an associated vehicle having at least one headlight, at least one tail light, and a trailer plug that indicates the condition of the vehicle's tail light; the method comprising the steps of:
 A) providing an auxiliary implement;   B) providing an auxiliary lighting system including at least one auxiliary headlight;   C) providing a transponder that is operable to transmit a wireless signal;   D) providing a controller comprising a microprocessor programmed to operate the at least one auxiliary headlight;   D) wherein the auxiliary implement is mountable to the associated vehicle;   E) wherein the auxiliary lighting system is mountable to at least one of the associated vehicle and the auxiliary implement;   F) wherein the controller is mountable to at least one of the auxiliary implement and the associated vehicle;   G) wherein the transponder is electrically connectable to the associated vehicle trailer plug; and, H) wherein when the auxiliary implement is mounted, the auxiliary lighting system is mounted, the controller is mounted, and the transponder is electrically connected:
 (1) the transponder is operable to transmit a wireless signal to the microprocessor; 
 (2) the microprocessor is operable to place the auxiliary headlight into an on condition to illuminate a ground surface in front of the associated vehicle in place of the vehicle headlight when the associated trailer plug indicates that the associated vehicle's tail light is in an on condition; and, 
 (3) the microprocessor is operable to place the auxiliary headlight into an off condition when the associated vehicle's tail light indicates that the associated vehicle's tail light is in an off condition. 
   
     
     
         22 . The method of  claim 21  wherein step A) comprises the step of:
 providing the auxiliary implement to be a snowplow. 
 
     
     
         23 . The method of  claim 21  wherein:
 the associated vehicle comprises OEM wiring that is used to illuminate the at least one vehicle headlight; 
 step B) comprises the step of: providing the auxiliary lighting system with auxiliary wiring that is used to illuminate the at least one auxiliary headlight; and, 
 no step of this method includes the step of connecting the auxiliary wiring to the OEM wiring. 
 
     
     
         24 . The method of  claim 21  wherein:
 the associated vehicle has a front end and a rear end; and, the at least one vehicle headlight is positioned on the front end of the vehicle; and, 
 step D) comprises the step of: mounting the auxiliary implement to the front end of the vehicle. 
 
     
     
         25 . A method for using an auxiliary lighting system, comprising the steps of:
 A) providing a vehicle comprising at least one headlight, at least one tail light, and a trailer plug that indicates the condition of the vehicle's tail light;   B) providing an auxiliary implement;   C) providing an auxiliary lighting system including at least one auxiliary headlight;   D) providing a transponder that is operable to transmit a wireless signal;   E) providing a controller comprising a microprocessor programmed to operate the at least one auxiliary headlight;   F) mounting the auxiliary implement to the vehicle;   G) mounting the auxiliary lighting system to at least one of the auxiliary implement and the vehicle;   H) mounting the controller to at least one of the auxiliary implement and the vehicle;   I) electrically connecting the transponder to the vehicle trailer plug;   J) transmitting a first wireless signal from the transponder to the microprocessor to place the auxiliary headlight into an on condition to illuminate a ground surface in front of the vehicle in place of the vehicle headlight when the trailer plug indicates that the vehicle's tail light is in an on condition; and,   K) transmitting a second wireless signal from the transponder to the microprocessor to place the auxiliary headlight into an off condition when the trailer plug indicates that the vehicle's tail light is in an off condition.   
     
     
         26 . The method of  claim 25  wherein step A) comprises the step of:
 providing the vehicle with a front end and a rear end; 
 positioning the at least one headlight on the front end of the vehicle; and, 
 positioning the at least one tail light and the trailer plug on the rear end of the vehicle. 
 
     
     
         27 . The method of  claim 25  wherein step B) comprises the step of:
 providing the auxiliary implement to be a snowplow. 
 
     
     
         28 . The method of  claim 25  wherein:
 step A) comprises the step of: providing the vehicle with OEM wiring that is used to illuminate the at least one vehicle headlight; 
 step C) comprises the step of: providing the auxiliary lighting system with auxiliary wiring that is used to illuminate the at least one auxiliary headlight; and, 
 no step of this method includes the step of connecting the auxiliary wiring to the OEM wiring. 
 
     
     
         29 . The method of  claim 25  wherein:
 step A) comprises the steps of: providing the vehicle with a front end and a rear end; and, positioning the at least one headlight on the front end of the vehicle; and, 
 step F) comprises the step of: mounting the auxiliary implement to the front end of the vehicle.