Patent ID: 8129909

Claim:
A trailer light converter that is configured to operate lights of a towed vehicle from signals supplied from lighting circuits of a towing vehicle, said converter comprising: at least one input that is connectable with lighting circuits of a towing vehicle and at least one output that is connectable with lights of a towed vehicle; at least one switch that is responsive to a signal applied to said at least one input to supply electrical power to said at least one output to illuminate at least one light of the towed vehicle; wherein said at least one switch comprises a switching transistor and an overload protector, said at least one switch being responsive to the signal applied to said at least one input to change to a low-impedance state to supply power to said at least one output and said overload protector is responsive to an overload condition on said at least one output to turn said at least one switch to a high impedance state to remove power from said at least one output, wherein said overload protector is electrically connected in parallel with said switching transistor and is responsive to an increase in voltage across said switching transistor to turn said at least one switch to the high-impedance state.