System and method for disabling and providing a notification for a data processing device

• US 20040267944A1
• Filed: 09/30/2002
• Published: 12/30/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 09/30/2002
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Microsoft Technology Licensing LLC (Microsoft Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Danger Incorporated (Microsoft Corporation)
• Inventors: Britt, Joe Freeman Jr.
• Granted Patent: US 7,107,349 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 709/229
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/88 Detecting or preventing theft or loss
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/04 specially adapted for terminals or networks with limited capabilities; specially adapted for terminal portability
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/54 Presence management, e.g. monitoring or registration for receipt of user log-on information, or the connection status of the users
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/75 Indicating network or usage conditions on the user display
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 69/329 in the application layer [OSI layer 7]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 9/40 Network security protocols
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 12/126 Anti-theft arrangements, e.g. protection against subscriber identity module [SIM] cloning

Abstract

A method for disabling a wireless data processing device is described comprising: receiving an indication from a user that the data processing device is missing; and responsively transmitting a disable command to the data processing device, the disable command disabling the data processing device using a first disabling technique.

Claims

1. A method for disabling a data processing device comprising:

receiving an indication from a user to deactivate said data processing device is at a particular deactivation level; and

responsively transmitting a command to deactivate said data processing device at said particular deactivation level, said disable command causing said data processing device to be deactivated at said deactivation level.

2. The method as in claim 1 further comprising:

displaying an indication that said data processing device is missing and contact information on a screen of said data processing device.

3. The method as in claim 2 wherein said contact information comprises an address to which said data processing device may be shipped, postage prepaid.

4. The method as in claim 2 wherein said contact information comprises a toll free telephone number to a wireless data service.

5. The method as in claim 1 wherein said deactivation level comprises locking said data processing device until a valid reactivation password is provided to said data processing device.

6. The method as in claim 5 further comprising:

transmitting said reactivation password to said data processing device prior to transmitting said command to deactivate said data processing device at said deactivation level.

7. The method as in claim 1 wherein said indication to deactivate said data processing device at said deactivation level is received from a client computer communicatively coupled to a network.

8. The method as in claim 1 wherein said indication to deactivate said data processing device at said deactivation level is received from a telephony device.

9. The method as in claim 5 further comprising:

receiving an indication to reactivate said data processing device; and

transmitting said reactivation password to said data processing device to reactivate said data processing device.

10. The method as in claim 9 wherein said indication further comprises authentication data authenticating the source of said indication.

11. The method as in claim 1 wherein said deactivation level comprises:

modifying a non-volatile memory portion of said data processing device, thereby requiring that said non-volatile portion be replaced or re-initialized before said data processing device can be enabled.

12. The method as in claim 1 wherein said deactivation level comprises:

erasing user data stored on said data processing device.

13. The method as in claim 12 further comprising:

backing up said user data prior to erasing said user data.

14. The method as in claim 1 further comprising:

transmitting a user-specified message to said data processing device, said user-specified message to be displayed on said data processing device'"'"'s screen.

36. The method as in claim 6 further comprising:

randomly generating said reactivation password; and

providing an indication of said randomly generated password to said user.

15. A system comprising:

a wireless data processing device;

a service to receive an indication from a user to deactivate said data processing device at a particular deactivation level; and

a device disabling module to responsively transmit a command to deactivate said data processing device at said particular deactivation level, said disable command causing said data processing device to be deactivated at said deactivation level.

16. The system as in claim 15 wherein said wireless data processing device displays contact information and an indication that said data processing device is missing.

17. The system as in claim 16 wherein said contact information comprises an address to which said data processing device may be shipped, postage prepaid.

18. The system as in claim 16 wherein said contact information comprises a toll free telephone number to a wireless data service.

19. The system as in claim 15 wherein said deactivation level comprises locking said data processing device until a valid reactivation password is provided to said data processing device.

20. The system as in claim 19 wherein said device disabling module transmits said reactivation password to said data processing device prior to transmitting said command to deactivate said data processing device at said deactivation level.

21. The system as in claim 15 wherein said service receives said indication to deactivate said data processing device at said deactivation level from a client computer communicatively coupled to said service over a network.

22. The system as in claim 15 wherein said service receives said indication to deactivate said data processing device at said deactivation level from a telephony device.

23. The system as in claim 19 wherein said device disabling module transmits said reactivation password to said data processing device responsive to receiving an indication from said user to reactivate said data processing device.

24. The system as in claim 23 wherein said indication further comprises authentication data authenticating the source of said indication.

25. The system as in claim 15 wherein said deactivation level comprises:

modifying a non-volatile memory portion of said data processing device, thereby requiring that said non-volatile portion be replaced or re-initialized before said data processing device can be enabled.

26. The system as in claim 15 wherein said deactivation level comprises erasing user data stored on said data processing device.

27. The system as in claim 26 wherein said service backs up said user data prior to erasing said user data.

28. The system as in claim 15 wherein said device disabling module transmits a user-specified message to said data processing device, said user-specified message to be displayed on said data processing device'"'"'s screen.

29. A method comprising:

authenticating a user;

providing said user with a plurality of options for deactivating said user'"'"'s data processing device at a corresponding plurality of different deactivation levels;

receiving an indication that said user has selected one of said options to deactivate said user'"'"'s data processing device at a particular one of said deactivation levels,

transmitting a first deactivation command to said data processing device to deactivate said data processing device at said particular one of said deactivation levels.

30. The method as in claim 29 wherein said particular deactivation level comprises locking said data processing device until a valid reactivation password is provided to said data processing device.

31. The method as in claim 29 wherein said data processing device is deactivated such that said data processing device may be activated by a reactivation password.

32. The method as in claim 29 wherein said particular deactivation level comprises modifying a non-volatile memory portion of said data processing device, thereby requiring that said non-volatile portion be replaced or re-initialized before said data processing device can be enabled.

33. The method as in claim 29 further comprising:

displaying contact information on a screen of said data processing device.

34. The method as in claim 33 wherein said contact information comprises a post office box for which postage is prepaid.

35. The method as in claim 29 further comprising:

transmitting a user-specified message to said data processing device said user-specified message to be displayed on a screen of said data processing device.

37. The method as in claim 31 further comprising:

transmitting said reactivation password to said data processing device prior to transmitting said command to deactivate said data processing device at said particular deactivation level.

38. The method as in claim 37 further comprising:

randomly generating said reactivation password; and

providing an indication of said randomly generated password to said user.