Patent ID: 7530700

Claim:
An exterior mirror system suitable for a vehicle, said system comprising: an exterior mirror assembly having a fixed support adapted to be mounted to the side of the vehicle, and a support arm extending from said fixed support to a distal end; a mirror housing supported by said support arm and movable along said support arm from a first position proximate to said fixed support to a second position proximate to said distal end of said support arm; said exterior mirror assembly including a first electrically powered extending mechanism having at least one of a worm gear, a clutch and a reversible motor, for moving said mirror housing relative to said fixed support along said support arm from said first position to said second position, and a second electrically powered pivoting mechanism, for pivoting said support arm about said fixed support between an operative position, wherein said support arm generally extends outwards from said fixed support, and a folded position, wherein said support arm generally extends transverse to said operative position and is generally folded to said side of the vehicle the vehicle, said mirror housing having a mirror unit and an electrically powered mirror unit adjust mechanism disposed in said mirror housing and operable to adjust said mirror unit to a desired adjusted position about horizontal and vertical axes; and an electronic control system, said control system operable by an occupant of the vehicle to control operation of said powered pivoting and extending mechanism independent of operation of said powered mirror unit adjust mechanism; wherein said control system comprises a microprocessor and includes at least one switch manually-operable by an occupant of the vehicle for independently actuating (i) a movement of said mirror housing along said support arm, (ii) a folding of said support arm, and (iii) an adjustment of said mirror unit.