US Patent 7497037 Lighted footwear

Footwear is provided that includes a sole having a front and a back. A light source is disposed in the front of the sole. A foot sensor, disposed in the sole, detects the presence or absence of a foot in the footwear. A light sensor, disposed in the sole, is adapted to detect the amount of ambient light adjacent the footwear. The sole may also include a delay circuit for maintaining the light source in the ON state for a predetermined period of time after the foot is removed.