1. A method of operating an off-board device to communicate with a diagnostic system of a vehicle, the diagnostic system having one or more modules, comprising the steps of:
(a) determining a number of pieces of information received from one or more modules using a first communications protocol;
(b) determining a number of pieces of information received from the one or more modules using a second communications protocol; and
(c) selecting from the plurality of communications protocols a communications protocol to use for communications between the off-board device and the diagnostic system using at least the number of pieces of information received from the one or more modules using the first communications protocol and the number of pieces of information received from the one or more modules using the second communications protocol.
2. The method of claim 1 further comprising:
(a) requesting data from one or more of the diagnostic system modules using a first communications protocol;
(b) waiting a selected length of time;
(c) requesting data from the one or more of the diagnostic system modules using a second communications protocol upon expiration of the selected length of time.
3. The method of claim 1 wherein the pieces of information are indicative of monitors.
4. The method of claim 1 wherein the pieces of information are indicative of trouble codes.
5. The method of claim 1 further comprising establishing a link with the diagnostic system using the selected communications protocol.
6. The method of claim 5 further comprising sending a request using the selected communications protocol to the vehicle diagnostic system and comparing the number of pieces of information received in response to the request from the one or more modules to the number of pieces of information previously received from a similar request from the one or more modules.
7. The method of claim 6 further comprising determining whether one or more modules has stopped communicating with the off-board device as a function of the comparison of the number of pieces of information received in response to the request from the one or more modules to the number of pieces of information previously received from a similar request from the one or more modules.
8. The method of claim 7 further comprising re-establishing the communications link with the diagnostic system using the selected communications protocol.
9. The method of claim 1 wherein the first communications protocol is an SAE J1850 communications protocol.
10. The method of claim 1 wherein the first communications protocol is an ISO 9141-2 communications protocol.
11. The method of claim 1 wherein the first communications protocol is an ISO 14230-4 communications protocol.
12. The method of claim 1 wherein the first communications protocol is a CAN communications protocol.
13. The method of claim 1 wherein the first communications protocol is a wireless communications protocol.
14. The method of claim 1 wherein the second communications protocol is an SAE J1850 communications protocol.
15. The method of claim 1 wherein the second communications protocol is an ISO 9141-2 communications protocol.
16. The method of claim 1 wherein the second communications protocol is an ISO 14230-4 communications protocol.
17. The method of claim 1 wherein the second communications protocol is a CAN communications protocol.
18. The method of claim 1 wherein the second communications protocol is a wireless communications protocol.
19. The method of claim 1 wherein the pieces of information received are indicative of the identities of the one or more modules that responded to the request.
20. The method of claim 1 wherein selecting from the plurality of communications protocols is a function of the most number of pieces of information received from the one or more modules.
21. The method of claim 1 wherein selecting from the plurality of communications protocols is a function of the least number of pieces of information received from the one or more modules.
22. The method of claim 1 further comprising storing the number of pieces of information received from the one or more modules using the first communications protocol.
23. The method of claim 1 further comprising storing the number of pieces of information received from the one or more modules using the second communications protocol.
The claims below are in addition to those above.
All refrences to claim(s) which appear below refer to the numbering after this setence.
What is claimed is:
1. A method to prevent or treat digestive tract infections by orally ingesting a solution or composite comprising a terpene, a mixture of terpenes or a liposome-terpene(s) combination with or without a surfactant, before or after the onset of said digestive infection; and said method comprising biocidal terpenes whose biocidal properties synergistically increase when two or more terpenes are present in the same composition.
2. A method of claim 1, wherein the terpene, terpene mixture or liposome-terpene(s) combination consist of 1 to 99% terpenes and 1 to 99% surfactant.
3. A method of claim 1, wherein the terpene or terpene mixture are natural or synthetic terpenes selected from citral, b-ionone, geraniol, carvacrol, eugenol, carvone, terpeniol, anethole or other generally recognized as safe terpenes with biocidal properties, and the surfactant is selected from polysorbate-80, polysorbate-20, polysorbate-40, polysorbate-60, polyglyceryl esters, polyglyceryl monooleate, decaglyceryl monocaprylate, propylene glycol dicaprilate, triglycerol monostearate or their combination.
4. A method of claim 1, wherein the terpene does not facilitate microorganism mutation in order for said microorganism to become resistant to the terpene.
5. A method of claim 1, wherein the liposome-terpene(s) combination comprises the encapsulation of the terpene or terpene mixture within the liposome.
6. A method of claim 1, wherein the liposome-terpene(s) combination comprises mixing liposomes with the terpene or the terpene mixture.
7. A method of claim 1, wherein the terpene, terpene mixture or the liposome-terpene(s) combination is part of the inner core of a gelatin or cellulose capsule.
8. A method of claim 1, wherein the terpene, terpene mixture or the liposome-terpene(s) combination is freeze dried, spray dried or dried in order to form a powder for encapsulation or solubilization.
9. A method of claim 1, wherein the terpene, terpene mixture or the liposome-terpene(s) combination is freeze dried, spray dried or dried in order to be compressed in pill or tablet form.
10. A method of claim 1, wherein the terpene, terpene mixture or the liposome-terpene(s) combination is freeze dried, spray dried or dried in order to be compressed in pilltablet and coated for absorption in different areas along the gastro-intestinal tract.
11. A method of claim 1, wherein the terpene, terpene mixture or the liposome-terpene(s) combination is used for the treatment or prevention of digestive tract infections in humans and animals.
12. A method of claim 1, wherein the digestive tract infections in humans and animals are produced by normal, pathogenic or opportunistic microorganisms or its toxins selected from Aerobacter sp., Aspergillus sp., Bacillus sp., Campylobacter sp., Candida sp., Clostridia sp., Enterobacteriaceae sp., Enterococcus sp., Escherichia sp., Haemophilus sp., Helicobacter sp Klebsiella sp., Lactobacillus sp., Listeria sp., Propionibacter sp., Pasteurella sp., Proteus sp., Pseudomonas sp., Salmonella sp., Shigella sp., Staphylococcus sp., Streptococcus sp. and Yersennia sp.
13. A method of claim 1, wherein the terpene, terpene mixture or the liposome-terpene(s) combination is effective against pathogenic and normal microflora comprising of Aerobacter sp., Aspergillus sp., Bacillus sp., Campylobacter sp., Candida sp., Clostridia sp., Enterobacteriaceae sp., Enterococcus sp., Escherichia sp., Haemophilus sp., Helicobacter sp Klebsiella sp., Lactobacillus sp., Listeria sp., Propionibacter sp., Pasteurella sp., Proteus sp., Pseudomonas sp., Salmonella sp., Shigella sp., Staphylococcus sp., Streptococcus sp. and Yersennia sp.
14. A method of claim 1, wherein the terpene, terpene mixture or the liposome-terpene(s) combination is effective against pathogenic and opportunistic microorganisms causing traveler’s diarrhea.
15. A method of claim 1, wherein the terpene, terpene mixture or the liposome-terpene(s) combination is effective against pathogenic and opportunistic microorganisms causing ulcers along the digestive tract.
16. A method of claim 1, wherein the terpene, terpene mixture or the liposome-terpene(s) combination is effective against anthrax.
17. A method of claim 1, wherein the terpene, terpene mixture or the liposome-terpene(s) combination is effective against pathogenic and opportunistic microorganisms causing scours in calves.
18. A method of claim 1, wherein the terpene, terpene mixture or the liposome-terpene(s) combination is effective against pathogenic and opportunistic microorganisms causing scours in neonates and weaned piglets.
19. A method of claim 1, wherein the terpene, terpene mixture or the liposome-terpene(s) combination at lower concentrations has a bacteriostatic effect against pathogenic and normal gastro-intestinal microflora.
20. A method of claim 1, wherein the terpene, terpene mixture or the liposome-terpene(s) combination at higher concentrations has a bactericidal effect against pathogenic and normal gastro-intestinal microflora.
21. A method of claim 1, wherein the effective dose of the terpene, the mixture of terpenes or the liposome-terpene(s) combination is between 20 mg and 5000 mg.
22. A method in claim 1, wherein the effective dose of the terpene, the mixture of terpenes or the liposome-terpene(s) combination is between 20 ppm and 50000 ppm in water andor food consumed by the human or animal.
23. A method in claim 1, wherein the terpene, the mixture of terpenes or the liposome-terpene(s) combination is prepackaged in liquid form for oral consumption by humans or animals.
24. A method in claim 1, wherein the terpene, a mixture of terpenes or the liposome-terpene(s) combination is mixed with milk replacer and fed to calves and piglets.
25. A method in claim 1, wherein the terpene, the mixture of terpenes or the liposome-terpene(s) combination is intubated directly into the stomach of an animal.