Patent ID: 7602276

Claim:
A variable blind spot warning system for detecting objects in a blind spot of a motor vehicle, the system comprising: at least one movable side view device being attached to the vehicle and moveable between a first orientation and a second orientation, the side viewing device being coupled to at least one position sensor adapted to generate a position signal corresponding to an orientation of the side view device; at least one external detector being attached to the vehicle and generating a detector signal corresponding to a location of object outside of the vehicle; and a processor being disposed within the motor vehicle and coupled to the position sensor and the external detector to receive the position signal and the detector signal, the processor being configured to calculate blind spot boundaries based on the position signal and to compare the blind spot boundaries to the location of objects outside of the vehicle, and a blind spot warning indicator coupled to the processor and configured to provide an indication to a driver if an object is located within the calculated blind spot boundaries.