Towed vehicle wiring adapter with load switching

An electrical adapter device for connecting a primary electrical system of a towing vehicle to a secondary electrical system of a towed vehicle, wherein the towing vehicle presents a primary connector which is connected to the primary electrical system and the secondary electrical system includes a secondary connector, the electrical adapter device comprising:

• an adapter primary connector operable to detachably couple with the primary connector and comprising a primary electrical terminal;
• a towed receptacle adapted to removably couple with the secondary connector and thereby electrically connect the secondary electrical system to the primary electrical system, the towed receptacle including a secondary electrical terminal electrically connected to the primary electrical terminal;
• a resistive load connected to the primary electrical terminal;
• a bandpass filter connected to the primary electrical terminal and configured to pass a signal within a frequency range;
• and
• a semiconductor device connected to the bandpass filter and configured to switch between a first state in which the semiconductor device connects the resistive load to ground when the signal within the frequency range is received from the bandpass filter and a second state in which the semiconductor device disconnects the primary electrical terminal from the resistive load.

An electrical adapter device for connecting a primary electrical system of a towing vehicle to a secondary electrical system of a towed vehicle, wherein the towing vehicle presents a primary connector which is connected to the primary electrical system and the secondary electrical system includes a secondary connector, the electrical adapter device comprising:

• an adapter primary connector operable to detachably couple with the primary connector and comprising a primary left terminal, a primary taillight terminal, and a primary right terminal;
• a towed receptacle adapted to removably couple with the secondary connector and thereby electrically connect the secondary electrical system to the primary electrical system, the towed receptacle including:
• a secondary left terminal electrically connected to the primary left terminal,
• a secondary taillight terminal electrically connected to the primary taillight terminal, and
• a secondary right terminal electrically connected to the primary right terminal;
• a resistive load connected to the primary left terminal, the primary taillight terminal, and the primary right terminal;
• a first semiconductor device configured to switch between a conductive state in which the first semiconductor device connects the resistive load to ground and a nonconductive state in which the first semiconductor device disconnects the resistive load from ground;
• a bandpass filter connected to the primary left terminal, the primary taillight terminal, and the primary right terminal, the bandpass filter being configured to pass a first signal within a frequency range from the primary left terminal, the primary taillight terminal, or the primary right terminal to the first semiconductor device so that the first semiconductor device switches to the conductive state when the first signal is passed;
• and
• a second semiconductor device configured to switch the first semiconductor device to the conductive state when a second signal below a frequency threshold is received from the primary left terminal, the primary taillight terminal, or the primary right terminal.