Patent ID: 7912601

Claim:
A method of simultaneously providing diagnostic capability for a plurality of motor vehicle control units within a single motor vehicle using a vehicle diagnostic tool, the method comprising the steps of: receiving an indication of a diagnostic routine to be executed, the diagnostic routine being applicable to at least two of a selected motor vehicle control units, the motor vehicle control units utilizing at least two different communication protocols; selecting at least two channel modules for simultaneously communicating with the selected motor vehicle control units, the channel modules including a plurality of communication protocols; enabling at least two of the plurality of communication protocols of the selected channel modules; simultaneously providing messages from a processor to the selected motor vehicle control units by providing a selectable multiple protocol interface to accommodate the at least two different communication protocols, the messages being provided in a format that is readable by the selected motor vehicle control units; and simultaneously providing control unit information from the selected motor vehicle control units to the processor in a format readable by the processor.