# US 2014/0159577 A1 · Vehicle auxiliary light control unit

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- Number: US 2014/0159577 A1
- Document ID: US20140159577A1
- Status: Published application
- Kind: A1
- Application number: 14/068,716
- Filed: 2013-10-31
- Published: 2014-06-12
- Earliest claimed: 2012-10-31
- Assignees: RBMark, Inc.
- Applicants: Rbmark, Inc.
- Inventors: Dimitri MANOUKIS; Jessica Dessino
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US20140159577A1

## CPC

- B60R 16/02: electric {constitutive elements}
- B60R: VEHICLES, VEHICLE FITTINGS, OR VEHICLE PARTS, NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR

## Abstract

A plug-in auxiliary headlight control unit (AHCU) repairs a damaged LCM and assures headlight performance. The plug-in AHCU contains an alternate lighting control circuitry, vehicle wiring harness connectors, LCM connectors, and a power relay, arranged on a chassis. The AHCU plugs into the failed LCM unit utilizing existing connectors for the vehicle's wiring harness. This arrangement places the AHCU in-line between the vehicle's wiring harness and the LCM.

## Claims

### Claim 1

An auxiliary headlight control unit (AHCU) that cooperates with a vehicle lighting module (LCM) to control the operation of the vehicle's headlights, the AHCU comprising:
first and second connectors configured to connect to a vehicle's LCM in place of the vehicle's wiring harness connectors;
third and fourth connectors configured to connect to a vehicle's wiring harness connectors; and,
a circuit that includes a power relay in electrical contact with the vehicle's wiring harness.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

The AHCU of claim 1 wherein the power relay is a headlight relay.

### Claim 3 (depends on 1)

The AHCU of claim 1 wherein the power relay has a capacity of 35A.

### Claim 4 (depends on 1)

The AHCU claim 1 wherein the AHCU operates in parallel with the LCM.

### Claim 5 (depends on 1)

The AHCU of claim 1 wherein the power relay creates redundancy in combination with the LCM.

### Claim 6 (depends on 1)

The AHCU of claim 1 wherein the power relay replicates the functionality of the LCM.

### Claim 7

A method for using an auxiliary headlight control unit (AHCU) that cooperates with a vehicle lighting module (LCM) to control the operation of the vehicle's headlights, the method comprising:
connecting first and second connectors to a vehicle's LCM in place of the vehicle's wiring harness connectors;
connecting third and fourth connectors to a vehicle's wiring harness connectors; and
electrically contacting a power relay with the vehicle's wiring harness.

### Claim 8 (depends on 7)

The method of claim 7 wherein the power relay is a headlight relay.

### Claim 9 (depends on 7)

The method of claim 7 wherein the power relay has a capacity of 35A.

### Claim 10 (depends on 7)

The method claim 7 wherein the AHCU operates in parallel with the LCM.

### Claim 11 (depends on 7)

The method of claim 7 wherein the power relay creates redundancy in combination with the LCM.

### Claim 12 (depends on 7)

The method of claim 7 wherein the power relay replicates the functionality of the LCM.

### Claim 13

An auxiliary headlight control unit (AHCU) that is configured to connect with a vehicle's wiring harness and assume operational control of the vehicle's lights, the AHCU comprising:
a plurality of connectors that are configured to connect to a vehicle's light control module (LCM) as a replacement for the vehicle's existing wiring harness connectors;
a plurality of connectors that are configured to connect to a vehicle's existing light control module (LCM) wiring harness connectors; and,
a circuit that includes a power relay in electrical contact with the vehicle's existing wiring harness;
whereby the AHCU replaces the LCM in operation of the vehicle's lights.