The SAE J1939 communications network is developed for use in heavy-duty environments and suitable for horizontally integrated vehicle industries. The SAE J1939 communications network is applicable for light-duty, medium-duty, and heavy- duty vehicles used on-road or off-road, and for appropriate stationary applications which use vehicle derived components (e.g., generator sets). Vehicles of interest include, but are not limited to, on-highway and off-highway trucks and their trailers, construction equipment, and agricultural equipment and implements.

SAE J1939-71 is the SAE J1939 reference document for the conventions and notations that specify parameter placement in PGN data fields, the conventions for ASCII parameters, and conventions for PGN transmission rates. This document previously contained the majority of the SAE J1939 data parameters and messages for information exchange between the ECU applications connected to the SAE J1939 communications network. It also contained reference figures and reference information. The data parameters (SPNs), messages (PGNs), reference figures, and information previously published within this document are now published in SAE J1939DA.

There are several SAE J1939-7X documents that collectively define all of the SAE J1939 application layer data parameters and messages. Diagnostic services and some industry-specific data parameters and messages are documented within other SAE J1939-7X application layer documents. An ECU may simultaneously use and support data parameters and messages from multiple SAE J1939-7X application layer documents.