Patent ID: 8473145

Claim:
A diagnostic tool for diagnosing a vehicle, comprising: a processor that processes a diagnostic data from the vehicle; a memory that stores a database that is used to indicate a condition of the vehicle, wherein the database includes a stored diagnostic trouble code (DTC) and a level of urgency corresponding to said stored DTC, which indicates a severity of the DTC, wherein the corresponding level of urgency is determined from a pool of information related to vehicle service; a connector interface that connects the diagnostic tool to a data link connector in the vehicle, wherein the connector interface connects removably at a first end to the data link connector and connects non-removably at a second end to the diagnostic tool; a user interface that allows a user to interact with the diagnostic tool; a signal translator that allows the diagnostic tool to communicate with the vehicle in at least one communication protocol; a display that displays an indicator that indicates the level of urgency corresponding to the DTC, wherein the level of urgency takes the form of multiple levels of urgency and the indicator displayed is distinct for each of the multiple levels of urgency and corresponds only with that level of urgency, and wherein the display also displays words to indicate an action based on the DTC; and a housing surrounding the processor, the memory, the connector interface, the user interface, the signal translator, and the display.