IP Library Granted Patent US 9,544,438
Granted Patent B1
US 9,544,438 · App. 14/743,200 · Granted Jan 10, 2017

Compliance management of recorded audio using speech analytics

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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 9,544,438
App. No.
14/743,200
Granted
Jan 10, 2017
Kind
B1
Abstract

Various embodiments of the invention provide methods, systems, and computer-program products for identifying an occurrence during a conversation being conducted between a first party and a second party where sensitive information is conveyed by the first party or the second party. In particular embodiments, speech analytics is used to monitor audio of the conversation and a first speech characteristic is detected indicating a start event identifying a start of an occurrence where sensitive information is conveyed by the first party or the second party. Following the detection of first speech characteristic, a second speech characteristic is detected in the audio indicating an end event identifying an end of the occurrence. Accordingly, identifiers for the start and end events are then recorded in various embodiments as metadata along with a recording of the audio of the conversation to identify where in the recording the occurrence takes place.

Claims (41)

1. A system for identifying an occurrence during a conversation being conducted between a first party and a second party where sensitive information is conveyed by at least one of the first party and the second party, the system comprising:

a speech analytics component configured to:

monitor audio of the conversation for at least one of the first party and the second party;

detect a first speech characteristic in the audio of the conversation for at least one of the first party and the second party indicating a start event identifying a start of the occurrence where the sensitive information is conveyed by at least one of the first party and the second party;

detect a second speech characteristic in the audio of the conversation for at least one of the first party and the second party indicating an end event identifying an end of the occurrence where the sensitive information is conveyed by at least one of the first party and the second party;

record a first identifier for the start event and a second identifier for the end event as metadata along with a recording of the audio of the conversation for at least one of the first party and the second party to identify where in the recording the occurrence takes place;

detect a third speech characteristic in the audio of the conversation for at least one of the first party and the second party indicating a second start event identifying a start of a second occurrence where sensitive information is conveyed by at least one of the first party and the second party; and

based on a confidence score associated with detecting the third speech characteristic being less than a threshold value and greater than a review score, mark the recording of the audio for review beginning at the second start event; and

an audio playback component configured to:

read the first identifier and the second identifier from the metadata;

play the recording of the audio for an individual to the start event based on the first identifier;

after playing the recording of the audio to the start event, apply a mask to the recording of the audio from the start event to the end event based on the second identifier without altering the recording so that the occurrence of sensitive information is permanently removed and so that the individual listening to the recording of the audio is unable to comprehend the sensitive information conveyed during the occurrence; and

after applying the mask to the recording of the audio from the start event to the end event, play the recording of the audio for the individual from the end event to an end of the recording of the audio.

2. The system of claim 1 , wherein the speech analytics component is configured to detect the first speech characteristic in the audio of the conversation for at least one of the first party and the second party based on a confidence score associated with detecting the first speech characteristic being greater than a threshold value.

3. The system of claim 1 , wherein the conversation comprises a telephone call, the first party comprises an agent at a contact center, and the second party comprises a party remote from the contact center.

4. A non-transitory, computer-readable medium comprising computer-executable instructions for identifying an occurrence during a conversation being conducted between a first party and a second party where sensitive information is conveyed by at least one of the first party and the second party, the computer-executable instructions, when executed by at least one computer processor, cause the at least one computer processor to:

monitor audio of the conversation for at least one of the first party and the second party;

detect a first speech characteristic in the audio of the conversation for at least one of the first party and the second party indicating a start event identifying a start of the occurrence where the sensitive information is conveyed by at least one of the first party and the second party;

detect a second speech characteristic in the audio of the conversation for at least one of the first party and the second party indicating an end event identifying an end of the occurrence where the sensitive information is conveyed by at least one of the first party and the second party;

record a first identifier for the start event and a second identifier for the end event as metadata along with a recording of the audio of the conversation for at least one of the first party and the second party to identify where in the recording the occurrence takes place;

detect a third speech characteristic in the audio of the conversation for at least one of the first party and the second party indicating a second start event identifying a start of a second occurrence where sensitive information is conveyed by at least one of the first party and the second party;

based on a confidence score associated with detecting the third speech characteristic being less than a threshold value and greater than a review score, mark the recording of the audio for review beginning at the second start event;

read the first identifier and the second identifier from the metadata;

play the recording of the audio for an individual to the start event based on the first identifier;

after playing the recording of the audio to the start event, apply a mask to the recording of the audio from the start event to the end event based on the second identifier without altering the recording so that the occurrence of sensitive information is permanently removed and so that the individual listening to the recording of the audio is unable to comprehend the sensitive information conveyed during the occurrence; and

after applying the mask to the recording of the audio from the start event to the end event, play the recording of the audio for the individual from the end event to an end of the recording of the audio.

5. The non-transitory, computer-readable medium of claim 4 , wherein the computer-executable instructions, when executed by the at least one computer processor, cause the at least one computer processor to detect the first speech characteristic in the audio of the conversation for at least one of the first party and the second party based on a confidence score associated with detecting the first speech characteristic being greater than a threshold value.

6. The non-transitory, computer-readable medium of claim 4 , wherein the conversation comprises a telephone call, the first party comprises an agent at a contact center, and the second party comprises a party remote from the contact center.

7. A method for identifying an occurrence during a conversation being conducted between a first party and a second party where sensitive information is conveyed by at least one of the first party and the second party, the method comprising the steps of:

monitoring audio of the conversation for at least one of the first party and the second party by a speech analytics system;

detecting a first speech characteristic in the audio of the conversation for at least one of the first party and the second party by the speech analytics system, the first speech characteristic indicating a start event identifying a start of the occurrence where the sensitive information is conveyed by at least one of the first party and the second party;

detecting a second speech characteristic in the audio of the conversation for at least one of the first party and the second party by the speech analytics system, the second speech characteristic indicating an end event identifying an end of the occurrence where the sensitive information is conveyed by at least one of the first party and the second party;

recording a first identifier for the start event and a second identifier for the end event by the speech analytics system as metadata along with a recording of the audio of the conversation for at least one of the first party and the second party to identify where in the recording the occurrence takes place;

detecting a third speech characteristic in the audio of the conversation for at least one of the first party and the second party by the speech analytics system, the third speech characteristic indicating a second start event identifying a start of a second occurrence where sensitive information is conveyed by at least one of the first party and the second party; and

based on a confidence score associated with detecting the third speech characteristic being less than a threshold value and greater than a review score, marking the recording of the audio for review beginning at the second start event by the speech analytics system;

reading the first identifier and the second identifier from the metadata by an audio playback system;

playing the recording of the audio for an individual to the start event based on the first identifier by the audio playback system;

after playing the recording of the audio to the start event, applying a mask to the recording of the audio from the start event to the end event based on the second identifier by the audio playback system without altering the recording so that the occurrence of sensitive information is permanently removed and so that the individual listening to the recording of the audio is unable to comprehend the sensitive information conveyed during the occurrence; and

after applying the mask to the recording of the audio from the start event to the end event, playing the recording of the audio for the individual from the end event to an end of the recording of the audio by the audio playback system.

8. The method of claim 7 , wherein the step of detecting the first speech characteristic in the audio of the conversation for at least one of the first party and the second party is carried out by the speech analytics system based on a confidence score associated with detecting the first speech characteristic being greater than a threshold value.

9. The method of claim 7 , wherein the conversation comprises a telephone call, the first party comprises an agent at a contact center, and the second party comprises a party remote from the contact center.

Assignments (13)
RELEASE OF SECURITY INTEREST Recorded Oct 27, 2025
From: JEFFERIES FINANCE LLC, AS COLLATERAL AGENT
To: ALVARIA CAYMAN (WEM); ALVARIA CAYMAN (CXIP)
Reel/Frame 073360/0209 →
ASSIGNMENT Recorded Oct 27, 2025
From: ALVARIA CAYMAN (WEM); ALVARIA CAYMAN (CXIP); NOBLE SYSTEMS, LLC
To: ALVARIA, INC.
Reel/Frame 073360/0481 →
SECURITY INTEREST Recorded Oct 27, 2025
From: ALVARIA, INC.
To: JEFFERIES FINANCE LLC, AS COLLATERAL AGENT
Reel/Frame 073360/0564 →
RELEASE OF SECURITY INTEREST Recorded Mar 20, 2024
From: JEFFRIES FINANCE LLC
To: ALVARIA, INC.; NOBLE SYSTEMS, LLC
Reel/Frame 066850/0428 →
PATENT SECURITY AGREEMENT Recorded Mar 20, 2024
From: ALVARIA CAYMAN (WEM); ALVARIA CAYMAN (CXIP)
To: JEFFERIES FINANCE LLC
Reel/Frame 066850/0334 →
RELEASE OF SECURITY INTEREST Recorded Mar 20, 2024
From: JEFFRIES FINANCE LLC
To: ALVARIA, INC.; NOBLE SYSTEMS, LLC
Reel/Frame 066850/0384 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Mar 20, 2024
From: NOBLE SYSTEMS, LLC
To: ALVARIA CAYMAN (CX)
Reel/Frame 066850/0556 →
CERTIFICATE OF CONVERSION Recorded Mar 12, 2024
From: NOBLE SYSTEMS CORPORATION, A GEORGIA CORPORATION
To: NOBLE SYSTEMS, LLC, A DELAWARE LIMITED LIABILITY COMPANY
Reel/Frame 066794/0435 →
RELEASE OF SECURITY INTEREST Recorded May 10, 2021
From: WELLS FARGO CAPITAL FINANCE, LLC
To: NOBLE SYSTEMS CORPORATION
Reel/Frame 056193/0363 →
FIRST LIEN PATENT SECURITY AGREEMENT Recorded May 6, 2021
From: NOBLE SYSTEMS CORPORATION; ASPECT SOFTWARE, INC.
To: JEFFERIES FINANCE LLC
Reel/Frame 057261/0093 →
SECOND LIEN PATENT SECURITY AGREEMENT Recorded May 6, 2021
From: NOBLE SYSTEMS CORPORATION; ASPECT SOFTWARE, INC.
To: JEFFERIES FINANCE LLC
Reel/Frame 057674/0664 →
SECURITY INTEREST Recorded Apr 23, 2020
From: NOBLE SYSTEMS CORPORATION
To: WELLS FARGO CAPITAL FINANCE, LLC
Reel/Frame 052495/0287 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Jun 18, 2015
From: ANDRASZEK, JOSEPH; KOSTER, KARL H.
To: NOBLE SYSTEMS CORPORATION
Reel/Frame 035861/0959 →