Patent ID: 7107349

Claim:
A method for disabling a data processing device comprising: providing a user with a plurality of options for remotely deactivating a data processing device, the options including (1) deactivating the data processing device in software, (2) deactivating the data processing device by modifying non-volatile portions of the data processing device and (3) deactivating the data processing device by erasing all user data on the data processing device; receiving an indication from a user to deactivate said data processing device in software, to modify said non-volatile portions of the data processing device or to erase all user data on the data processing device; responsively transmitting a first command to deactivate said data processing device in software in response to receipt of a user indication to deactivate said data processing device in software, or transmitting a second command to modify said non-volatile portions of said data processing device in response to receipt of a user indication to modify said non-volatile portions of said data processing device, or transmitting a third command to erase all user data on said data processing device in response to receipt of a user indication to erase all user data on the data processing device; and continually storing a new backup of said user data from the data processing device on a remote service, wherein said storing comprises transmitting new user data entered since a most recent backup from the data processing device to the remote service to be stored as part of the new backup prior to deactivating the data processing device.