Patent ID: 9324194
Filing Date: 2016-04-26
CPC Classification: G07C

Claim Text:
1. A method of customizing an automotive diagnostic device configured to communicate with an onboard vehicle computer, the method comprising the steps of: storing a plurality of first vehicle command instructions associated with a plurality of vehicles on the automotive diagnostic device, the plurality of first vehicle command instructions being useful to implement a specific function(s) to be executed in relation to one of the plurality of vehicles; retrieving an electronic vehicle identification number (VIN) from a first vehicle on the automotive diagnostic device; uploading, from the automotive diagnostic device to a master database, a first signal representative of the retrieved electronic VIN, the master database having stored vehicle command instructions arranged by year, make, and model for the plurality of vehicles; decoding, at the master database, the electronic VIN to determine the year, make, and model of the first vehicle; selecting, at the master database, certain ones of a plurality of second vehicle command instructions associated with the first vehicle, the selected second vehicle command instructions being selected independent of any evaluation of any operational data received from the vehicle at the master database; and sending the selected second vehicle command instructions associated with the first vehicle to the automotive diagnostic device, the second vehicle command instructions being operative to identify first vehicle command instructions associated with the first vehicle.