Patent ID: 8449158

Claim:
A lighted exterior mirror system for a vehicle, said lighted exterior mirror system comprising: an exterior mirror assembly; wherein said exterior mirror assembly comprises a folding portion and a non-folding portion and wherein said exterior mirror assembly comprises at least one of a powerfold exterior mirror assembly and a breakaway exterior mirror assembly; a turn signal light disposed in said exterior mirror assembly, wherein said turn signal light comprises at least one light emitting diode; wherein said turn signal light is configured to emit a light pattern and wherein said light pattern is defined at least between a forward leading edge and a rearward leading edge; wherein said forward leading edge of said light pattern forms a forward angle that is in the range of about zero degrees to about 45 degrees relative to the side of a vehicle equipped with said lighted exterior mirror system, and wherein said rearward leading edge of said light pattern forms a rearward angle that is in the range of about zero degrees to about 15 degrees relative to the side of the equipped vehicle; and wherein said turn signal light is actuated in response to a driver of the equipped vehicle activating a turn signal of the equipped vehicle.