USER INTENT ANALYSIS EXTENT OF SPEAKER INTENT ANALYSIS SYSTEM

• US 20120262296A1
• Filed: 06/12/2012
• Published: 10/18/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 11/12/2002
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: David Bezar
• Original Assignee: David Bezar
• Inventors: BEZAR, DAVID
• Granted Patent: US 8,972,266 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 340/573.1
• CPC Class Codes: G10L 15/02 Feature extraction for speech recognition; Selection of recognition unit
• 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 17/26 Recognition of special voice characteristics, e.g. for use in lie detectors; Recognition of animal voices
• CPC Class Codes: G10L 25/63 for estimating an emotional state
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/493 Interactive information services, e.g. directory enquiries ; Arrangements therefor, e.g. interactive voice response [IVR] systems or voice portals
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/56 Arrangements for connecting several subscribers to a common circuit, i.e. affording conference facilities video conference systems H04N7/15

Abstract

A speaker intent analysis system and method for validating the truthfulness and intent of a plurality of participants'"'"' responses to questions. A computer stores, retrieves, and transmits a series of questions to be answered audibly by participants. The participants'"'"' answers are received by a data processor. The data processor analyzes and records the participants'"'"' speech parameters for determining the likelihood of dishonesty. In addition to analyzing participants'"'"' speech parameters for distinguishing stress or other abnormality, the processor may be equipped with voice recognition software to screen responses that while not dishonest, are indicative of possible malfeasance on the part of the participants. Once the responses are analyzed, the processor produces an output that is indicative of the participant'"'"'s credibility. The output may be sent to proper parties and/or devices such as a web page, computer, e-mail, PDA, pager, database, report, etc. for appropriate action.

Claims

1. A speaker intent analysis system comprising:

a. a plurality of participant transceivers, each including a transmitter for transmitting verbal responses and receiver for receiving questions;

b. at least one “

inquiry”

transceiver including a transmitter for transmitting questions to said participant receivers and a receiver for receiving the verbal responses to the questions;

c. a communications network for connecting said participant transceivers to said inquiry transceiver; and

d. a central voice processor connected to said communications network for also receiving the responses from said questions, said central voice processor including capabilities of voice analysis for simultaneously analyzing the plurality of responses in terms of speech parameters for producing determinations of the truthfulness of the responses.

2. The speaker intent analysis system of claim 1 wherein said inquiry transceiver includes a computer processor for automatically transmitting said questions from an internal database.

3. The speaker intent analysis system of claim 1 wherein said inquiry transceiver is constructed in the form of a traditional telephone to allow a person to verbally propound questions transmitted to said participant transceivers.

4. The speaker intent analysis system of claim 1 comprises a plurality of “

inquiry”

transceivers, said inquiry transceivers including a transmitter for transmitting questions to said participant receivers and a receiver for receiving the verbal responses to the questions.

5. The speaker intent analysis system of claim 2 wherein said communications network is a telephone network.

6. The speaker intent analysis system of claim 4 wherein said communications network is a telephone network.

7. A method for assessing speaker intent comprising the steps of:

a. transmitting questions over a communications network to a plurality of participants at one time;

b. receiving verbal responses to the questions by a central processor;

c. analyzing a plurality of participant responses at one time by the central processor; and

d. producing a computer generated output reflecting a determination of the truthfulness of the responses.

8. The method for assessing speaker intent of claim 7 further comprising the step of:

a. recognizing the identity of a participant using speech recognition software.

9. The method for assessing speaker intent of claim 8 further comprising the steps of:

a providing a list of persons; and

b. producing an alert if the participant is identified as a person on a specified list.

10. A speaker intent analysis system comprising:

a. an inquiry transceiver including a first transmitter for transmitting questions to a participant to elicit a participant'"'"'s response and a first receiver for receiving the participant'"'"'s response;

b. a participant transceiver including second receiver for receiving the participant'"'"'s response to the questions and a second transmitter for transmitting the participant'"'"'s response;

c. a communications network for connecting said participant transceiver to the inquiry transceiver;

d. a database for containing questions; and

e. a computer processor connected to said communications network and said database, said computer processor retrieving questions from the database based on information gained from earlier responses, transmitting questions to the first transmitter, receiving the participant'"'"'s response from the first receiver, and analyzing the response in terms of speech parameters for producing determinations of the truthfulness of the response.

11. A method for assessing speaker intent comprising the steps of:

a. retrieving a question stored on the memory medium using a computer;

b. transmitting the questions over a communications network to a participant using a computer;

c. receiving and analyzing a participant'"'"'s responses to the questions to produce a computer generated determination of the credibility of the participant; and

d. outputting a product of analysis indicative of the probability that the participant has been truthful based on the participant'"'"'s responses.

12. The method for assessing credibility of claim 11 further comprising the steps of:

a. recognizing a participant'"'"'s response to a question by a voice-recognition process; and

b. outputting an alert if the participant'"'"'s response meets a certain criteria.

13. The method for assessing speaker intent of claim 11 further comprising the step of:

a. recognizing the identity of a participant using speech recognition software.

14. The method for assessing speaker intent of claim 13 further comprising the steps of:

a providing a list of persons; and

b. producing an alert if the participant is identified as a person on the list.

15. The method for assessing credibility of claim 11 further comprising the steps of:

a. simultaneously transmitting questions and receiving responses to and from a plurality of participants at one time.

16. The method for assessing credibility of claim 15 further comprising the step of:

a. processing responses from a plurality of participants at one time.

17. The method for assessing credibility of claim 11 further comprising the steps of:

a. transmitting questions over a communications network to a participant during a first session;

b. receiving the participant'"'"'s responses to the questions during the first session to obtain calibration data concerning the participant'"'"'s voice;

c. storing the calibration data for retrieval at a later time;

d. transmitting questions over a communications network to a participant during a second session;

e. receiving and comparing the participant'"'"'s responses from the second session to the calibration data to produce a computer generated determination of the credibility of the participant; and

f. outputting a product of analysis indicative of the probability that the participant has been truthful based on the participant'"'"'s responses.