Patent ID: 7505837

Claim:
An off-board tool having an executable program stored on a computer-readable medium for linking the off-board tool to a vehicle diagnostic system, the executable program comprising: code for determining whether the vehicle diagnostic system supports a CAN communications protocol; code for determining a baud rate of the vehicle diagnostic system, including code for selecting an initial baud rate, code for determining whether the vehicle diagnostic system is operating at the selected baud rate, and code for selecting a subsequent baud rate if the vehicle diagnostic system is not operating at the selected baud rate; code for transmitting a first message, having a first ID length of 11 bits, from the off-board tool to the vehicle diagnostic system if the vehicle diagnostic system supports the CAN communications protocol; code for determining whether an acknowledgment receipt of the first message is received by the off-board tool from the vehicle diagnostic system; and code for transmitting a second message, having a second ID length of 29 bits, from the off-board tool to the vehicle diagnostic system if the acknowledgement receipt of the first message is not received by the off-board tool.