Organizing conference calls using speaker and topic hierarchies

• US 10,044,872 B2
• Filed: 03/27/2015
• Issued: 08/07/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 03/27/2015
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Original Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Inventors: Guo, Shang Q., Jones, Christopher P., Lenchner, Jonathan, Mazzella, Daniel A., Nelson, John C., Rey, Rodrigo A., Saxena, Adarsh
• Primary Examiner(s): Miller, Alan S
• Application Number:
  US14/670,631
• Publication Number:
  US 20160286049A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,229 Days
• Field of Search: 705 711- 742, 709202-207, 709224
• CPC Class Codes: G10L 15/1822 Parsing for meaning understanding
• CPC Class Codes: G10L 15/26 Speech to text systems G10L15/08 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G10L 17/00 Speaker identification or verification techniques
• CPC Class Codes: G10L 25/48 specially adapted for particular use
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2201/16 Sequence circuits
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2201/41 using speaker recognition speaker recognition per se G10L17/00
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/566 relating to a participants right to speak arrangements for multi-party communication with floor control, e.g. for conferences, H04L65/4038, H04L65/4046, H04L65/4053
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/06 Selective distribution of broadcast services, e.g. multimedia broadcast multicast service [MBMS]; Services to user groups; One-way selective calling services

Abstract

In an approach for creating a hierarchal organization of spoken conference call topics, a processor determines an identity of a first speaker from a group of participants on a conference call, wherein the group of participants are known. A processor determines a first conference call topic, wherein the first conference call topic is determined using a portion of the first speaker'"'"'s speech. A processor adds a second speaker'"'"'s identity to a queue of speakers while recording the first speaker'"'"'s voice. A processor determines a second conference call topic. A processor links the first conference call topic and the second conference call topic into a hierarchal organization of spoken conference call topics.

Claims

1. A method for creating a hierarchal organization of spoken conference call topics, the method comprising:

determining, by one or more processors, an identity of a first speaker from a group of participants on a conference call, wherein the group of participants are known;

determining, by one or more processors, a first conference call topic, wherein the first conference call topic is determined using a first portion of the first speaker'"'"'s speech;

adding, by one or more processors, a second speaker'"'"'s identity to a queue of speakers while recording the first speaker'"'"'s voice and capturing and presenting a second portion of the first speaker'"'"'s speech to the group of participants, wherein the second portion of the first speaker'"'"'s speech is a portion of the first speaker'"'"'s speech directly preceding the second speaker'"'"'s identity being added to the queue of speakers, and wherein the second portion of the first speaker'"'"'s speech adds context for a reason to add the second speaker'"'"'s identity to the queue of speakers;

determining, by one or more processors, a second conference call topic, wherein the second conference call topic is associated with words spoken close to a point in time during the recording of the first speaker'"'"'s voice when the second speaker'"'"'s identity is at front of the queue of speakers following a removal of the identity of the first speaker at the front of the queue of speakers, wherein the second conference call topic is a sub-topic of the first conference call topic;

linking, by one or more processors, the first conference call topic and the second conference call topic into a hierarchal organization of spoken conference call topics;

detecting, by one or more processors, a pause in the first speaker'"'"'s voice for a predetermined interval of silence;

displaying, by one or more processors, through a visual screen prompt, a warning to the group of participants that, in a predetermined interval of time, a first microphone will automatically mute for the first speaker and a second microphone will automatically unmute for the second speaker; and

subsequent to a lapse of the predetermined interval of time, and through control of a first phone line and a second phone line, deactivating, by one or more processors, the first phone line, causing the first microphone to mute, while, simultaneously, activating the second phone line, causing the second microphone to unmute.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein determining the identity of the first speaker and the second speaker comprises:

associating, by one or more processors, the first speaker and the second speaker with a phone used during the conference call.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein determining the identity of the first speaker and the second speaker comprises:

associating, by one or more processors, the first speaker and the second speaker with the first speaker'"'"'s voice and the second speaker'"'"'s voice through voice recognition capabilities.

4. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

displaying, by one or more processors, a complete hierarchal organization of spoken conference call topics in a user interface after the conference call ends using recording analysis, wherein each conference call topic comprises a text summary of speech and a duration of time associated with each speaker.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein determining the second conference call topic comprises:

using, by one or more processors, a user interface to choose a new conference call topic, wherein the new conference call topic is different from the first conference call topic.

6. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

displaying, by one or more processors, the first conference call topic in a user interface in near real-time after the first speaker begins to speak.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the second speaker in the queue of speakers is in a muted mode and the first speaker is in an unmuted mode while the first speaker is speaking.

8. A computer program product for creating a hierarchal organization of spoken conference call topics, the computer program product comprising:

one or more computer readable storage media and program instructions stored on the one or more computer readable storage media, the program instructions comprising;

program instructions to determine an identity of a first speaker from a group of participants on a conference call, wherein the group of participants are known;

program instructions to determine a first conference call topic, wherein the first conference call topic is determined using a first portion of the first speaker'"'"'s speech;

program instructions to add a second speaker'"'"'s identity to a queue of speakers while recording the first speaker'"'"'s voice and capturing and presenting a second portion of the first speaker'"'"'s speech to the group of participants, wherein the second portion of the first speaker'"'"'s speech is a portion of the first speaker'"'"'s speech directly preceding the second speaker'"'"'s identity being added to the queue of speakers, and wherein the second portion of the first speaker'"'"'s speech adds context for a reason to add the second speaker'"'"'s identity to the queue of speakers;

program instructions to determine a second conference call topic, wherein the second conference call topic is associated with words spoken close to a point in time during the recording of the first speaker'"'"'s voice when the second speaker'"'"'s identity is at front of the queue of speakers following a removal of the identity of the first speaker at the front of the queue of speakers, wherein the second conference call topic is a sub-topic of the first conference call topic;

program instructions to link the first conference call topic and the second conference call topic into a hierarchal organization of spoken conference call topics;

program instructions to detect a pause in the first speaker'"'"'s voice for a predetermined interval of silence;

program instructions to display, through a visual screen prompt, a warning to the group of participants that, in a predetermined interval of time, a first microphone will automatically mute for the first speaker and a second microphone will automatically unmute for the second speaker; and

subsequent to a lapse of the predetermined interval of time, and through control of a first phone line and a second phone line, program instructions to deactivate the first phone line, causing the first microphone to mute, while, simultaneously, activating the second phone line, causing the second microphone to unmute.

9. The computer program product of claim 8, wherein program instructions to determine the identity of the first speaker and the second speaker comprise:

program instructions to associate the first speaker and the second speaker with a phone used during the conference call.

10. The computer program product of claim 8, wherein program instructions to determine the identity of the first speaker and the second speaker comprise:

program instructions to associate the first speaker and the second speaker with the first speaker'"'"'s voice and the second speaker'"'"'s voice through voice recognition capabilities.

11. The computer program product of claim 8, further comprising:

program instructions, stored on the one or more computer readable storage media, to display a complete hierarchal organization of spoken conference call topics in a user interface after the conference call ends using recording analysis, wherein each conference call topic comprises a text summary of speech and a duration of time associated with each speaker.

12. The computer program product of claim 8, wherein program instructions to determine the second conference call topic comprise:

program instructions to use a user interface to choose a new conference call topic, wherein the new conference call topic is different from the first conference call topic.

13. The computer program product of claim 8, further comprising:

program instructions, stored on the one or more computer readable storage media, to display the first conference call topic in a user interface in near real-time after the first speaker begins to speak.

14. The computer program product of claim 8, wherein the second speaker in the queue of speakers is in a muted mode and the first speaker is in an unmuted mode while the first speaker is speaking.

15. A computer system for creating a hierarchal organization of spoken conference call topics, the computer system comprising:

one or more computer processors, one or more computer readable storage media, and program instructions stored on the computer readable storage media for execution by at least one of the one or more processors, the program instructions comprising;

program instructions to determine an identity of a first speaker from a group of participants on a conference call, wherein the group of participants are known;

program instructions to determine a first conference call topic, wherein the first conference call topic is determined using a first portion of the first speaker'"'"'s speech;

program instructions to add a second speaker'"'"'s identity to a queue of speakers while recording the first speaker'"'"'s voice and capturing and presenting a second portion of the first speaker'"'"'s speech to the group of participants, wherein the second portion of the first speaker'"'"'s speech is a portion of the first speaker'"'"'s speech directly preceding the second speaker'"'"'s identity being added to the queue of speakers, and wherein the second portion of the first speaker'"'"'s speech adds context for a reason to add the second speaker'"'"'s identity to the queue of speakers;

program instructions to determine a second conference call topic, wherein the second conference call topic is associated with words spoken close to a point in time during the recording of the first speaker'"'"'s voice when the second speaker'"'"'s identity is at front of the queue of speakers following a removal of the identity of the first speaker at the front of the queue of speakers, wherein the second conference call topic is a sub-topic of the first conference call topic;

program instructions to link the first conference call topic and the second conference call topic into a hierarchal organization of spoken conference call topics;

program instructions to detect a pause in the first speaker'"'"'s voice for a predetermined interval of silence;

program instructions to display, through a visual screen prompt, a warning to the group of participants that, in a predetermined interval of time, a first microphone will automatically mute for the first speaker and a second microphone will automatically unmute for the second speaker; and

subsequent to a lapse of the predetermined interval of time, and through control of a first phone line and a second phone line, program instructions to deactivate the first phone line, causing the first microphone to mute, while, simultaneously, activating the second phone line, causing the second microphone to unmute.

16. The computer system of claim 15, wherein program instructions to determine the identity of the first speaker and the second speaker comprise:

program instructions to associate the first speaker and the second speaker with a phone used during the conference call.

17. The computer system of claim 15, wherein program instructions to determine the identity of the first speaker and the second speaker comprise:

program instructions to associate the first speaker and the second speaker with the first speaker'"'"'s voice and the second speaker'"'"'s voice through voice recognition capabilities.

18. The computer system of claim 15, further comprising:

program instructions, stored on the computer readable storage media for execution by at least one of the one or more processors, to display a complete hierarchal organization of spoken conference call topics in a user interface after the conference call ends using recording analysis, wherein each conference call topic comprises a text summary of speech and a duration of time associated with each speaker.

19. The computer system of claim 15, wherein program instructions to determine the second conference call topic comprise:

program instructions to use a user interface to choose a new conference call topic, wherein the new conference call topic is different from the first conference call topic.

20. The computer system of claim 15, further comprising:

program instructions, stored on the computer readable storage media for execution by at least one of the one or more processors, to display the first conference call topic in a user interface in near real-time after the first speaker begins to speak.