IP Library Granted Patent US 7,617,094
Granted Patent B2
US 7,617,094 · App. 10/414,912 · Granted Nov 10, 2009

Methods, apparatus, and products for identifying a conversation

Assignee: Palo Alto Research Center Incorporated
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 7,617,094
App. No.
10/414,912
Granted
Nov 10, 2009
Kind
B2
Abstract

One aspect of the invention is a method of using a computer to identify a conversation. Another aspect is a method for an audio processing system that identifies conversations and enhances each conversation for each user in the conversation.

Claims (39)

1. A computer controlled method of identifying a conversation, comprising:

monitoring a plurality of conversational communications that each occur electronically between a plurality of users;

extracting a plurality of streams of feature data from the conversational communications during a communicative interval between the conversational communications;

analyzing said streams of feature data for different combinations of said users in possible conversational configurations during said same communicative interval and assigning a probability to each of the possible conversational configurations;

determining a most probable conversational configuration from the possible conversational configurations based on the probability; and

identifying a conversation involving two or more of said users based on the most probable conversational configuration.

2. The computer controlled method of claim 1 , wherein said conversational communications are from a recorded media.

3. The computer controlled method of claim 1 , wherein said conversational communications are captured using at least one audio capture device.

4. The computer controlled method of claim 1 , further comprising:

enhancing said conversation with respect to said conversational communications based on the streams of feature data.

5. The computer controlled method of claim 1 , wherein said conversational communications comprise textual information, audible information, visual information or tactile information.

6. The computer controlled method of claim 1 , further comprising:

transcribing said conversation.

7. An apparatus comprising:

a monitor mechanism that monitors a plurality of conversational communications that each occur electronically between a plurality of users;

a extraction mechanism that extracts a plurality of streams of feature data from the conversational communications during a communicative interval between the conversational communications;

an analysis mechanism, as controlled by the extraction mechanism, that analyzes said streams of feature data for different combinations of said users in possible conversational configurations during said same communicative interval and further configured to assign a probability to each of the possible conversational configurations;

a determination mechanism that determines a most probable conversational configuration from the possible conversational configurations based on the probability; and

an identification mechanism that identifies a conversation involving two or more of said users based on the most probable conversational configuration.

8. The apparatus of claim 7 , wherein said conversational communications are from a recorded media.

9. The apparatus of claim 7 , wherein said conversational communications are captured using at least one audio capture device.

10. The apparatus of claim 7 , further comprising:

a floor control mechanism configured to enhance said conversation with respect to said conversational communications based on the streams of feature data.

11. The apparatus of claim 7 , wherein said conversational communications comprise textual information, audible information, visual information or tactile information.

12. The apparatus of claim 7 , further comprising:

a transcription mechanism configured to transcribe said conversation.

13. A computer-readable storage medium encoded with computer program code to be executed by a computer system, the computer executable program code comprising a method that:

monitors a plurality of conversational communications that each occur electronically between a plurality of users;

extracts a plurality of streams of feature data from the conversational communications during a communicative interval between the conversational communications;

analyzes, as controlled by the code for extracting, said streams of feature data for different combinations of said users in possible conversational configurations during said same communicative interval and code for assigning a probability to each of the possible conversational configurations;

determines a most probable conversational configuration from the possible conversational configurations based on the probability; and

identifies a conversation involving two or more of said users based on the most probable conversational configuration.

14. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 13 , wherein said conversational communications are from a recorded media.

15. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 13 , wherein said conversational communications are captured using at least one audio capture device.

16. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 13 , further comprising:

enhancing said conversation with respect to said conversational communications based on the steams of feature data.

17. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 13 , wherein said conversational communications comprise textual information, audible information, visual information or tactile information.

18. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 13 , further comprising:

transcribing said conversation.

Assignments (2)
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Jul 28, 2015
From: PALO ALTO RESEARCH CENTER INCORPORATED
To: III HOLDINGS 6, LLC
Reel/Frame 036198/0543 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Apr 16, 2003
From: AOKI, PAUL M.; SZYMANSKI, MARGARET H.; THORNTON, JAMES D.; WILSON, DANIEL H.; WOODRUFF, ALLISON G.
To: PALO ALTO RESEARCH CENTER INCORPORATED
Reel/Frame 013985/0176 →
Continuity (2)
Provisional Application 6045072400 · Feb 28, 2003
Related Publication 20040172252A1 · Sep 2, 2004