Method and apparatus for distributing targeted audible advertisements as ringtones

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.