Method and apparatus for distributing targeted audible advertisements as ringtones

• US 7,831,462 B2
• Filed: 11/07/2007
• Issued: 11/09/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 11/07/2007
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: LinkedIn Corporation (Microsoft Corporation)
• Original Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Inventors: White Eagle, Brian Lee, Colson, James C.
• Primary Examiner(s): DIXON, THOMAS A
• Application Number:
  US11/936,566
• Publication Number:
  US 20090119164A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,098 Days
• Field of Search: 705/10, 705/14, 455/207.16, 379/82, 379/179, 379/106.5, 379/106.9
• US Class Current: 705/14.49
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/02 Marketing; Price estimation or determination; Fundraising
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0212 Chance discounts or incentives
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0251 Targeted advertisements
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0261 based on user location
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0267 Wireless devices
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0273 Determination of fees for advertising

Abstract

The illustrative embodiments described herein provide a method, apparatus, and computer program product for distributing targeted audible advertisements as ringtones. A user profile associated with a user is identified. An audible advertisement is selected from a plurality of audible advertisements using criteria matching the user profile. A currently selected ringtone is substituted with the audible advertisement on a communication device associated with the user.

Claims

1. A computer implemented method in a data processing system for distributing targeted audible advertisements, the computer implemented method comprising:

identifying, by the data processing system, a user profile associated with a user;

selecting, by a processing unit communicatively coupled to the data processing system, an audible advertisement from a plurality of audible advertisements using criteria matching the user profile to form a selected audible advertisement; and

substituting a currently selected ringtone with the selected audible advertisement on a communication device associated with the user.

2. The computer implemented method of claim 1, wherein the step of identifying a user profile further comprises:

identifying a user location.

3. The computer implemented method of claim 1, wherein the steps of identifying, selecting, and substituting are performed without any user interaction.

4. The computer implemented method of claim 1, further comprising:

customizing the selected audible advertisement to the user.

5. The computer implemented method of claim 1, further comprising:

billing an advertiser associated with the selected audible advertisement.

6. The computer implemented method of claim 1, further comprising:

initiating playing of the selected audible advertisement at a predetermined time.

7. The computer implemented method of claim 1, further comprising:

initiating playing of the selected audible advertisement in response to receiving a call.

8. The computer implemented method of claim 1, further comprising:

monitoring a length of time and a number of times in which the selected audible advertisement is played to form a set of monitored data.

9. The computer implemented method of claim 8, further comprising:

crediting an account associated with the user using the set of monitored data.

10. The computer implemented method of claim 7, further comprising:

conducting a dialog with the caller, wherein the caller responds to prompts presented as part of the selected audible advertisement.

11. A computer program product comprising:

a non-transitory computer usable medium including computer usable program code for distributing targeted audible advertisements, said computer program product comprising;

computer usable program code for identifying a user profile associated with a user;

computer usable program code for selecting an audible advertisement from a plurality of audible advertisements using criteria matching the user profile to form a selected audible advertisement; and

computer usable program code for substituting a currently selected ringtone with the selected audible advertisement on a communication device associated with the user.

12. The computer program product of claim 11, wherein the computer usable program code for identifying a user profile further comprises:

computer usable program code for identifying a user location.

13. The computer program product of claim 11, wherein the computer usable program code for identifying, selecting, and substituting are performed without any user interaction.

14. The computer program product of claim 11, further comprising:

computer usable program code for customizing the selected audible advertisement to the user.

15. The computer program product of claim 11, further comprising:

computer usable program code for billing an advertiser associated with the selected audible advertisement.

16. The computer program product of claim 11, further comprising:

computer usable program code for initiating playing of the selected audible advertisement at a predetermined time.

17. The computer program product of claim 11, further comprising:

computer usable program code for initiating playing of the selected audible advertisement in response to receiving a call.

18. The computer program product of claim 11, further comprising:

computer usable program code for monitoring a length of time and a number of times in which the selected audible advertisement is played to form a set of monitored data.

19. The computer program product of claim 18, further comprising:

computer usable program code for crediting an account associated with the user using the set of monitored data.

20. An apparatus comprising:

a bus system;

a communications system connected to the bus system;

a memory connected to the bus system, wherein the memory includes computer usable program code; and

a processing unit connected to the bus system, wherein the processing unit executes the computer usable program code to identify a user profile associated with a user;

select an audible advertisement from a plurality of audible advertisements using criteria matching the user profile to form a selected audible advertisement; and

substitute a currently selected ringtone with the selected audible advertisement on a communication device associated with the user.