Patent ID: 8182125
Filing Date: 2012-05-22
Classification: B60Q

Abstract:
1. A vehicle area illumination system for a bus or truck vehicle including an electrical mirror and mirror housing assembly, the vehicle area illumination system comprising: a mirror mount securing the electrical vehicle mirror and mirror housing assembly to the vehicle and having a mirror electrical harness therethrough; a light structure coupled to said mirror electrical harness and supported by said mirror mount, which directs light primarily at ground level and along an area located adjacent a door of the vehicle, in a manner which enables a driver to view a passenger located in the area via an exteriorly mounted bus mirror or camera, under conditions of lower visibility, wherein the light structure is powered by an electrical path running through the mirror mount; at least one triggering device detecting an occurrence of an event including at least one of closing or opening a passenger door of the vehicle, issuance of a manual command to turn on or off the light structure, and a shifting of the vehicle's transmission into a park or drive mode, and said triggering device transmitting a signal responsive thereto; a processor controlling the light structure in response to the signal received from said triggering device determining the occurrence of the event including the at least one of closing or opening a passenger door of the vehicle, issuance of a manual command to turn on or off the light structure, and a shifting of the vehicle's transmission into a park or drive mode, and said processor controls turning off the light structure after a lapse of a set or user-adjustable time period after the occurrence of the event.