DETECTING EMOTION IN VOICE SIGNALS IN A CALL CENTER

• US 20110178803A1
• Filed: 03/29/2011
• Published: 07/21/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 08/31/1999
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Accenture Global Services Limited (Accenture PLC)
• Original Assignee: Accenture Global Services Limited (Accenture PLC)
• Inventors: Petrushin, Valery A.
• Granted Patent: US 8,965,770 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 704/270
• CPC Class Codes: G10L 17/26 Recognition of special voice characteristics, e.g. for use in lie detectors; Recognition of animal voices

Abstract

A computer system monitors a conversation between an agent and a customer. The system extracts a voice signal from the conversation and analyzes the voice signal to detect a voice characteristic of the customer. The system identifies an emotion corresponding to the voice characteristic and initiates an action based on the emotion. The action may include communicating the emotion to an emergency response team, or communicating feedback to a manager of the agent, as examples.

Claims

1. A method comprising:

monitoring, with a computer system comprising a processor, a conversation between an agent and a customer;

extracting, with the processor, a voice signal from the conversation;

analyzing, with the processor, the voice signal to detect a voice characteristic of the customer;

identifying, with the processor, an emotion corresponding to the voice characteristic; and

initiating, by the processor, an action based on the emotion.

2. The method of claim 1, where analyzing comprises:

detecting a subsonic frequency modulation of a formant frequency voice parameter, a pitch frequency voice parameter, or both.

3. The method of claim 1, where the action comprises recording a subsequent portion of the conversation.

4. The method of claim 1, where analyzing comprises:

determining a speech rate of words spoken in the conversation as the voice characteristic.

5. The method of claim 1, where initiating comprises:

initiating the action when only when the emotion is a negative emotion.

6. The method of claim 1, where the action comprises communicating the emotion to an emergency response team.

7. The method of claim 1, where the action comprises communicating feedback to a manager of the agent.

8. A system for processing voice signals, the system comprising:

a processor; and

a memory in communication with the processor, the memory comprising software instructions that when executed by the processor causes the processor to;

monitor a conversation between an agent and a customer;

extract a voice signal from the conversation;

analyze the voice signal to detect a voice characteristic of the customer;

identify an emotion corresponding to the voice characteristic; and

initiate an action based on the emotion.

9. The system of claim 8, where the software instructions, when executed, cause the processor to:

detect a subsonic frequency modulation of a formant frequency voice parameter, a pitch frequency voice parameter, or both.

10. The system of claim 8, where the action comprises recording a subsequent portion of the conversation.

11. The system of claim 8, where voice characteristic comprises a speech rate of words spoken in the conversation.

12. The system of claim 8, where the software instructions, when executed, cause the processor to:

initiate the action when only when the emotion is a negative emotion.

13. The system of claim 8, where the action comprises communicating the emotion to an emergency response team.

14. The system of claim 8, where the action comprises communicating feedback to a manager of the agent.

15. A product comprising:

a computer readable medium; and

software instructions stored on the medium, that when executed by a processor in a computer system, cause the processor to;

monitor a conversation between an agent and a customer;

extract a voice signal from the conversation;

analyze the voice signal to detect a voice characteristic of the customer;

identify an emotion corresponding to the voice characteristic; and

initiate an action based on the emotion.

16. The product of claim 15, where the software instructions, when executed, cause the processor to:

detect a subsonic frequency modulation of a formant frequency voice parameter, a pitch frequency voice parameter, or both.

17. The product of claim 15, where the action comprises recording a subsequent portion of the conversation.

18. The product of claim 15, where voice characteristic comprises a speech rate of words spoken in the conversation.

19. The product of claim 15, where the software instructions, when executed, cause the processor to:

initiate the action when only when the emotion is a negative emotion.

20. The product of claim 15, where the action comprises communicating the emotion to an emergency response team.

21. The product of claim 15, where the action comprises communicating feedback to a manager of the agent.