Patent ID: 7425088

Claim:
A vehicle running light system configured to be coupled to a vehicle having a vehicle lighting system operable to light a plurality of vehicle function lights on the vehicle in response to a plurality of operating modes, the vehicle running light system comprising: a plurality of running lights coupled to the vehicle; a controller in electrical communication with the vehicle lighting system and the plurality of running lights; the controller configured to receive multiple input signals corresponding to a plurality of operating modes and to generate a plurality of control signals each for selectively initiating activation of at least one of the plurality of running lights in accordance with at least two of the plurality of operating modes of the vehicle lighting system, the control signals generated in response to an input signal generated from the vehicle lighting system and associated with an activation of a vehicle function light; and a circuit connection configured to communicate the control signals from the controller to the plurality of running lights, wherein a brightness of the plurality of running lights is adjusted in response to the input signal generated from the vehicle lighting system by using pulse width modulation, and wherein the controller is further configured to access a look-up table matching the input signal from the vehicle lighting system to an operating mode of the plurality of running lights, and wherein the plurality of operating modes is selected from a group consisting of: parking, turn signal, courtesy, brake, headlight, and four-way hazard lighting operations and combinations thereof.