System and method for monitoring audio power level of agent speech in a telephonic switch

• US 5,712,954 A
• Filed: 08/23/1995
• Issued: 01/27/1998
• Est. Priority Date: 08/23/1995
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Firstpoint Contact Technologies, LLC (Alvaria Incorporated)
• Original Assignee: Rockwell International Corporation
• Inventors: Dezonno, Anthony J.
• Primary Examiner(s): MacDonald, Allen R.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Smits, Talivaldis Ivars
• Application Number:
  US08/518,413
• Time in Patent Office: 888 Days
• Field of Search: 395/2.34, 379/178, 379/202, 379/266, 379/268, 379/269
• US Class Current: 704/225
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/40 Applications of speech amplifiers
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/51 Centralised call answering arrangements requiring operator intervention , e.g. call or contact centers for telemarketing
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/5175 Call or contact centers supervision arrangements

Abstract

A system 200 and method for monitoring audio power level of speech of an agent in an automatic call distributor 100 is provided. The system 200 comprises an agent audio power circuit for detecting the audio power level of the agent'"'"'s speech. The audio power circuit includes an agent maximum circuit 216 for comparing the detected audio power level to a predetermined maximum threshold power level. An agent minimum circuit 218 compares the detected audio power level to a predetermined minimum threshold power level. When the detected audio power level exceeds, or equals, the maximum threshold power level, or when the detected audio power level is less than, or equals, the minimum threshold power level, an appropriate message is displayed on an agent terminal 118 to "Speak Softer" or to "Speak Louder". An agent gain control 220 may be provided for automatically adjusting the audio power level of the agent'"'"'s speech.

Claims

1. A system for monitoring audio power levels of speech during an incoming telephone call from a caller, the incoming telephone call being routed by a telephonic switch to a telephonic unit corresponding to an agent, the system comprising:

an audio power detecting circuit configured to measure a power level of speech transmitted by the telephonic unit of the agent during the incoming telephone call;

a reporting mechanism configured to receive a signal from the audio power detecting circuit indicating that the power level of the speech transmitted by the telephonic unit is not within a predetermined range; and

the reporting mechanism configured to provide an indication to at least one of the agent and a supervisory personnel if the power level of the speech transmitted by the telephonic unit of the agent is not within the predetermined range, the indication being external to the telephonic unit of the agent.

2. The system as recited in claim 1 wherein the audio power detecting circuit comprises:

an agent comparison circuit for comparing the measured audio power level with a threshold power level; and

wherein the reporting mechanism reports the measured audio power level based on the comparison.

3. The system as recited in claim 2 wherein the agent comparison circuit comprises an agent maximum circuit for establishing a maximum threshold power level which is compared to the measured audio power level.

4. The system as recited in claim 3 wherein the reporting mechanism comprises an agent alerting system for alerting the agent when the measured audio power level exceeds the maximum threshold power level.

5. The system as recited in claim 4 wherein the agent alerting system comprises an agent terminal for visually displaying a maximum alert message to the agent when the measured audio power level exceeds the maximum threshold power level.

6. The system as recited in claim 2 wherein the agent comparison circuit comprises an agent minimum circuit for establishing a minimum threshold power level which is compared to the measured audio power.

7. The system as recited in claim 6 wherein the reporting mechanism comprises an agent alerting system for alerting the agent when the measured audio power level is less than the minimum threshold power level.

8. The system as recited in claim 7 wherein the agent alerting system comprises an agent terminal for visually displaying a minimum alert message to the agent when the measured audio power level is less than the minimum threshold power level.

9. A method for monitoring speech levels of an agent during an incoming telephone call from a caller, the incoming telephone call being routed to a telephonic unit of an agent by a telephonic switch, the method comprising the steps of:

detecting an audio power level of speech transmitted by the telephonic unit of the agent during the incoming telephone call; and

providing an indication to at least one of the agent and a supervisory personnel if the audio power level is not within a predetermined range, the indication being external to the telephonic unit of the agent.

10. The method as recited in claim 9 further comprising the step of comparing the detected audio power level to a threshold power level;

and

wherein the step of providing an indication further comprises the step of reporting the detected audio power level based on the comparison of the detected audio power level with a maximum threshold power level.

11. The method as recited in claim 10 wherein the step of comparing the detected audio power level to the threshold power level comprises the steps of:

establishing a maximum threshold power level; and

comparing the detected audio power level to the maximum threshold power level.

12. The method as recited in claim 11 wherein the step of providing an indication comprises the step of displaying a maximum alert message on an agent terminal associated with the agent when the detected audio power level is greater than the maximum threshold power level.

13. The method as recited in claim 10 wherein the step of comparing the detected audio power level to the threshold power level comprises the steps of:

establishing a minimum threshold power level; and

comparing the detected audio power level to the minimum threshold power level.

14. The method as recited in claim 13 wherein the step of providing an indication comprises the step of displaying a minimum alert message on an agent terminal associated with the agent when the detected audio power level is less than the minimum threshold power level.

15. The method as recited in claim 9 further including the step of adjusting the audio power level by automatically adjusting the audio power level of the speech transmitted by the telephonic unit of the agent, based on the detected audio power level.

16. The method as recited in claim 15 wherein the step of automatically adjusting the audio power level comprises the steps of:

comparing the detected audio power level to a maximum threshold power level; and

automatically decreasing the audio power level of the speech transmitted by the telephonic unit of the agent when the detected audio power level is greater than the maximum threshold power level.

17. The method as recited in claim 15 wherein the step of automatically adjusting the audio power level comprises the steps of:

comparing the detected audio power level to a minimum threshold power level; and

automatically increasing the audio power level of the speech transmitted by the telephonic unit of the agent when the detected audio power level is greater than the minimum threshold power level.

18. A system for regulating an audio power level of speech during an incoming telephone call from a caller, the incoming telephone call being routed by a telephonic switch to a telephonic unit corresponding to an agent, the system comprising:

an audio power detecting circuit configured to measure a power level of speech transmitted by the telephonic unit of the agent during the incoming telephone call;

an agent gain control circuit operative to receive the signal from the audio power detecting circuit, and configured to automatically adjust the audio power level of the speech transmitted by the telephonic unit based upon the measured power level, until the measured power level is within the predetermined range, and

the adjustment of the audio power level of the speech transmitted by the telephonic unit being independent of a level of speech provided to the telephonic unit by the agent.

19. The system as recited in claim 18 wherein the agent audio power detecting circuit comprises:

an agent comparison circuit for comparing the measured audio power level to a threshold power level; and

wherein the agent gain control circuit automatically adjusts the audio power level of the speech transmitted by the telephonic unit of the agent, based on the comparison.

20. The system as recited in claim 19 wherein the agent comparison circuit comprises:

an agent maximum circuit for establishing a maximum threshold power level which is compared to the measured audio power level; and

wherein the agent gain control circuit automatically decreases the audio power level of the speech transmitted by the telephonic unit of the agent when the maximum threshold power level is less than the measured audio power level.

21. The system as recited in claim 19 wherein the agent comparison circuit comprises:

an agent minimum circuit for establishing a minimum threshold power level which is compared to the measured audio power level; and

wherein the agent gain control circuit automatically decreases the audio power level of the speech transmitted by the telephonic unit of the agent when the measured audio power level is greater than the minimum threshold power level.