Functions and associated communication capabilities for a speech analytics component to support agent compliance in a contact center

• US 9,781,266 B1
• Filed: 02/07/2017
• Issued: 10/03/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 07/24/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Alvaria Cayman
• Original Assignee: Noble Systems Corporation
• Inventors: Koster, Karl H.
• Primary Examiner(s): Al Aubaidi, Rasha
• Application Number:
  US15/426,663
• Time in Patent Office: 238 Days
• Field of Search: 37926501-26502, 37926607, 379 8801
• CPC Class Codes: G10L 15/22 Procedures used during a speech recognition process, e.g. man-machine dialogue
• CPC Class Codes: G10L 15/26 Speech to text systems G10L15/08 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G10L 2015/088 Word spotting
• CPC Class Codes: G10L 2015/223 Execution procedure of a spoken command
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2201/40 using speech recognition speech recognition per se G10L15/00
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2203/401 Performance feedback
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2203/552 Call annotations
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/42221 Conversation recording systems at the subscriber's set H04M1/656
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/5175 Call or contact centers supervision arrangements

Abstract

A command set and associated capabilities are defined for a speech analytics component (“SAC”) in a call center. The speech analytics component is used to monitor speech of an agent and a remote party on a call for the purpose of determining whether the agent is complying with various call center policies or applicable regulations. The command set allows the call handler to instruct the SAC to load a keyword set into memory for future use, apply the keyword set to an indicated call and for an indicated party, to remove use of the keyword set, and to release the keyword set from memory. This allows the SAC to monitor speech as required for a particular context, which is known to the call handler, but not necessarily by the SAC. In this way, efficient use of the SAC processing resource is obtained for various call contexts.

Claims

1. A speech analytics component in a call center comprising:

a first interface for receiving a voice call from a call handler identified by a call reference value, the voice call comprising a first data stream associated with an agent and a second data stream associated with a remote party;

a second interface for receiving commands;

a memory configured to store a plurality of keyword sets; and

a computer processor configured to;

receive the voice call at the first interface along with an indication of the call reference value,

receive a first command at the second interface identifying a keyword set from among the plurality of keyword sets, the call reference value, and a party identifier indicating the remote party, wherein the first command indicates application of the keyword set for analyzing speech of the remote party on the voice call,

analyze the speech in the second data stream from the remote party using the keyword set identified to determine a keyword in the keyword set was spoken in the second data stream, and

provide an indication over the second interface indicating detection of the keyword in the second data stream and the call reference value.

2. The speech analytics component of claim 1, wherein the computer processor is further configured to:

receive a second command at the second interface identifying a second keyword set, the call reference value, and the party identified indicating the agent, wherein the second command indicates application of the second keyword set for analyzing speech of the first data stream;

analyze the speech in the first data stream from the agent using the second keyword set; and

provide a second indication over the second interface indicating detection of the second keyword.

3. The speech analytics component of claim 1, wherein the computer processor is further configured to:

receive a second command at the second interface terminating application of the keyword set for analyzing the speech in the second data stream, wherein the speech analytics component ceases application of the keyword set in analyzing the speech in the second data stream.

4. The speech analytics component of claim 3, wherein the computer processor is further configured to:

receive a third command at the second interface after receiving the second command, the third command instructing a second keyword set to be applied for analyzing speech in the second data stream.

5. The speech analytics component of claim 1, wherein the computer processor is further configured to:

receive a second command at the second interface indicating that the keyword set is no longer required to be stored in the memory.

6. The speech analytics component of claim 1, wherein the computer processor is further configured to:

load the keyword set into the memory in response to receiving a command on the second interface identifying the keyword set to be loaded.

7. The speech analytics component of claim 1, wherein the indication provided on the second interface indicating detection of the keyword in the second data stream and the call reference value further indicates the remote party.

8. The speech analytics component of claim 1, wherein the computer processor is further configured to:

retrieve the keyword set from a secondary memory prior to application of the keyword set for analyzing speech of the remote party on the voice call.

9. A method for processing speech from a call in a call center comprising:

establishing a call leg of the call from a call handler to a speech analytics component in the call center, wherein the call leg is identified by a call reference value indicated to the speech analytics component, and wherein the call is between an agent and a remote party;

receiving a first message at the speech analytics component identifying the call reference value, a party identifier of a party on the call, and a first keyword set from among a plurality of keyword sets to be used for analyzing speech of a party indicated by the party identifier, wherein the party indicated is the remote party;

analyzing the speech by the speech analytics component of the remote party using the first keyword set to detect a keyword spoken by the remote party; and

transmitting an indication from the speech analytics component indicating detection of the keyword in the speech of the remote party and the call reference value.

10. The method of claim 9, wherein the indication from the speech analytics component indicating detection of the keyword in the speech of the remote party and the call reference value further indicates the party identifier.

11. The method of claim 9 further comprising:

receiving a second message at the speech analytics component after the indication is transmitted from the speech analytics component indicating detection of the keyword, the second message instructing the speech analytics component to terminate application of the keyword set in analyzing the speech from the remote party.

12. The method of claim 11, further comprising:

receive a third message at the speech analytics component after the second message is received, the third message indicating that the keyword set is no longer required to be stored in a memory of the speech analytics component.

13. The method of claim 11, further comprising:

receive a third message at the speech analytics component after the second message is received, the third message instructing the speech analytics component to apply a second keyword set from among the plurality of keyword sets to speech of at least one of the agent and the remote party.

14. The method of claim 13, further comprising:

transmitting a second indication from the speech analytics component indicating the call reference value and detection of a second keyword from the second keyword set in the speech of the at least one of the agent and the remote party; and

receive a fourth message at the speech analytics component indicating the second keyword set is no longer to be applied to the speech of the at least one of the agent and the remote party.

15. A computer-readable, non-transitory medium storing instructions that when executed by a processor cause the processor to:

store a call reference value associated with a call leg received from a call handler on a first interface;

process a first command received on a second interface identifying a keyword set from among a plurality of keyword sets, the call reference value, and a party identifier identifying one of an agent or a remote party, wherein the first command indicates application of the keyword set for detecting a keyword of the keyword set in speech by a party on the call leg indicated by the party identifier;

determine the keyword of the keyword set was spoken by the party; and

transmit an indication over the second interface indicating the call reference value and detection of the keyword in the keyword set in the speech from the party.

16. The computer-readable, non-transitory medium of claim 15, wherein the instructions further cause the processor to:

receive a second command on the second interface comprising the call reference value terminating application of the keyword set to the speech of the party; and

in response to processing the second command, terminate application of the keyword set to the speech of the party.

17. The computer-readable, non-transitory medium of claim 16, wherein the instructions further cause the processor to:

process a third command on the second interface identifying a second keyword set, the call reference value, and another party identifier comprising one of the agent or the remote party, wherein the third command indicates application of the second keyword set for detecting a second keyword of the second keyword set in speech by the another party on the call leg, and wherein the another party is different from the party;

determine the second keyword of the second keyword set was spoken by another party; and

generate a second indication over the second interface indicating detection of the second keyword in the second keyword set in the speech from the another party and the call reference value.

18. The computer-readable, non-transitory medium of claim 17, wherein the instructions further cause the processor to:

process a fourth command, wherein the fourth command indicates terminating application of the second keyword set to the speech of the another party; and

in response to processing the fourth command, terminate application of the second keyword set to the speech of the another party.

19. The computer-readable, non-transitory medium of claim 15, wherein the instructions further cause the processor to:

process a second command received prior to the first command, wherein the second command indicates retrieval of the keyword set from a memory store.

20. The computer-readable, non-transitory medium of claim 15, wherein the instructions further cause the processor to:

include the party identifier when transmitting the indication.