Patent ID: 7769508

Claim:
An automotive vehicle diagnostic tool, comprising: a diagnostic instrument configured to obtain diagnostic data from an automotive vehicle; at least one audio transducer configured for audible input and output; a vocoder configured to encode audio signals coming from the at least one audio transducer and to decode received encoded audio signals for the at least one audio transducer; a wireless packet data transceiver, configured for wireless packet data communication of data relating to operation of the diagnostic instrument and the encoded audio signals; a processor configured to control operations of the vehicle diagnostic tool including communications via the wireless packet data transceiver; a memory; and programming stored in the memory for execution by the processor, wherein the programming includes: at least one automotive vehicle diagnostic application to configure the processor to control operation of the diagnostic instrument to obtain diagnostic data from the automotive vehicle and to cause the processor to perform diagnostic functions of the vehicle diagnostic tool including data processing on the data obtained from the diagnostic instrument to help identify a vehicle problem and/or to propose a remedial action and to control the communication of data relating to operation of the diagnostic instrument via the wireless packet data transceiver; and a voice communication application to configure the processor to control the vocoder and the wireless packet data transceiver for wireless packet data communication of the encoded audio signals; and a housing for the diagnostic instrument, processor, memory, at least one audio transducer, vocoder and wireless packet data transceiver; wherein the housing is configured to enable handheld operation of the tool for operation in accord with the at least one vehicle diagnostic application and for voice communication.