Abstract: In a general aspect, an approach to query specification includes processing a query by identifying one or more terms and validating the terms using a first corpus of media elements. The result of the validation is used to form a modified query. In some examples, identifying the one or more terms is based on a second corpus of media elements, which may include a different type of media than the first corpus. In some examples, the validating of the terms includes accepting input from a user according to parts of the elements of the first corpus presented to the user.

Abstract: An information retrieval system for search a corpus is configured to, for each of a plurality of searches of at least a subset of the corpus, generate a confidence score for each of a plurality of putative occurrences of a search query in the at least a subset of the corpus. The system is further configured to adjust a threshold to maintain a consistent user experience across the plurality of searches according to a consistency criterion. The system is further configured to display putative occurrences of the search query having a confidence score greater than the threshold.

Abstract: Some general aspects of the invention relate to systems and methods for improving contact center agent performance, for instance, by integrating real-time call monitoring with speech analytics to present agents with information useful to the handling of the current calls. In some implementations, phonetically based speech analysis techniques are applied to process live audio streams to identify key words and/or phrases of relevance, based on which knowledge articles can be selectively presented to agents to drive more efficient business processes.

Abstract: In an aspect, in general, method for aligning an audio recording and a transcript includes receiving a transcript including a plurality of terms, each term of the plurality of terms associated with a time location within a different version of the audio recording, forming a plurality of search terms from the terms of the transcript, determining possible time locations of the search terms in the audio recording, determining a correspondence between time locations within the different version of the audio recording associated with the search terms and the possible time locations of the search terms in the audio recording, and aligning the audio recording and the transcript including updating the time location associated with terms of the transcript based on the determined correspondence.

Abstract: A transcription system is applicable to transcription for a language in which there is limited pronunciation and/or acoustic data. A transcription station is configured using pronunciation data and acoustic data for use with the language. The pronunciation data and/or the acoustic data is initially from another dialect of a language, another language from a language group, or is universal (e.g., not specific to any particular language). A partial transcription of the audio recording is accepted via the transcription station (e.g., from a transcriptionist). One or more repetitions of one or more portions of the partial transcription are identified in the audio recording, and can be accepted during transcription. The pronunciation data and/or the acoustic data is updated in a bootstrapping manner during transcription, thereby improving the efficiency of the transcription process.

Abstract: In an aspect, in general, a method for computer assisted speaker authentication in a voice communication session includes establishing a voice communication session between a first speaker and an agent, accepting a first voice signal from the first speaker, determining a voice characteristic measure of the first voice signal, including characterizing a similarity of the first voice signal to each of one or more stored characterizations of voice signals previously acquired from one or more known speakers, and providing an interface to the agent during the voice communication session between the agent and the first speaker, including presenting an indicator based on the determined voice characteristic measure to the agent.

Abstract: A transcription system automates the control of the playback of the audio to accommodate the user's ability to transcribe the words spoken. In some examples, a delay between playback and typed input is estimated by processing the typed words using a wordspotting approach. The estimated delay is used as in input to an automated speed control, for example, to maintain a target or maximum delay between playback and typed input.

Abstract: An audio processing system makes use of a number of levels of compression or data reduction, thereby providing reduced storage requirements while maintaining a high accuracy of keyword detection in the original audio input.

Abstract: A method for determining a similarity between a first audio source and a second audio source includes: for the first audio source, determining a first frequency of occurrence for each of a plurality of phoneme sequences and determining a first weighted frequency for each of the plurality of phoneme sequences based on the first frequency of occurrence for the phoneme sequence; for the second audio source, determining a second frequency of occurrence for each of a plurality of phoneme sequences and determining a second weighted frequency for each of the plurality of phoneme sequences based on the second frequency of occurrence for the phoneme sequence; comparing the first weighted frequency for each phoneme sequence with the second weighted frequency for the corresponding phoneme sequence; and generating a similarity score representative of a similarity between the first audio source and the second audio source based on the results of the comparing.

Abstract: A method for detecting sections of a known input in an unknown input includes processing the known input to form a series of discrete-valued feature values associated with corresponding time locations in the known input. Index data associating a plurality of the feature values each with one or more time locations in the known input is then formed. The unknown input is processed to form a series of discrete-valued features values. A time offset between the unknown input and the known input is determined by determining time locations in the known input associated with the feature values of the unknown input. Determining the time offset may include maintaining a distribution of time offsets based on successive determined time locations of the feature values of the unknown input.

Abstract: Some general aspects of the invention relate to systems and methods of processing data, for example, to improve customer interactions. One aspect, in particular, relates to a computer-implemented method that includes accepting user input for analysis of a database having media data and metadata. The media data includes a group of audio recordings and the metadata includes descriptive information of the group of audio recordings. A representation of a set of call series is formed based on user input, and processed to generate an analysis report. A visual representation of the analysis report is formed for presentation to a user.

Abstract: Techniques implemented as systems, methods, and apparatuses, including computer program products, for logging multi-channel audio signals.

Abstract: Techniques implemented as systems, methods, and apparatuses, including computer program products, for obfuscating sensitive content in an audio source representative of an interaction between a contact center caller and a contact center agent. The techniques include performing, by an analysis engine of a contact center system, a context-sensitive content analysis of the audio source to identify each audio source segment that includes content determined by the analysis engine to be sensitive content based on its context; and processing, by an obfuscation engine of the contact center system, one or more identified audio source segments to generate corresponding altered audio source segments each including obfuscated sensitive content.

Abstract: Techniques for processing data representative of text associated with one or more content sources to generate a specification of a set of keyphrases of interest; processing a first set of audio signals collected during a first time period to generate first data characterizing putative occurrences of one or more keyphrases of the set in the first set of audio signals; evaluating the first data to generate keyphrase-specific comparison values for the first set of audio signals; deriving first trending data between the first set of audio signals and a second set of audio signals based in part on an analysis of the keyphrase-specific comparison values for the first set of audio signals relative to stored keyphrase-specific baseline values; and generating a visual representation of at least some of the first trending data and causing the visual representation of the first trending data to be presented on a display terminal.

Abstract: Systems and methods are providing for using cluster maps in managing multimedia content including, for example, analyzing audio files stored at a call center. Very generally, a cluster map can be used as an effective tool for visualizing condensed information and for improving the understanding of the characteristics and relationships of the data under study. For example, a set of nodes can be displayed in a cluster map as corresponding to a set of information objects. Each information object may represent the result of a respective query conducted against the data. In some embodiments, multiple relationships between various information objects (such as between different query results) can be displayed simultaneously as graphical links in the map, making data comparison and exploration easier and more intuitive.

Abstract: Some general aspects of the invention relate to systems and methods for improving contact center agent performance, for instance, by integrating real-time call monitoring with speech analytics to present agents with information useful to the handling of the current calls. In some implementations, phonetically based speech analysis techniques are applied to process live audio streams to identify key words and/or phrases of relevance, based on which knowledge articles can be selectively presented to agents to drive more efficient business processes.

Abstract: Some general aspects of the invention relate to systems and methods of processing data, for example, to improve customer interactions. One aspect, in particular, relates to a computer-implemented method that includes accepting user input for analysis of a database having media data and metadata. The media data includes a group of audio recordings and the metadata includes descriptive information of the group of audio recordings. A representation of a set of call series is formed based on user input, and processed to generate an analysis report. A visual representation of the analysis report is formed for presentation to a user.

Abstract: A method includes accepting, via an input interface, a caller identifier parameter and a target value of at least one call series parameter; identifying, using a data processor, a plurality of calls each associated with the caller identifier parameter from amongst a set of calls stored in a call center database; analyzing, using the data processor, the identified plurality of calls to determine a value of the at least one call series parameter for the identified plurality of calls; comparing, using the data processor, the determined value of the at least one call series parameter with the target value of the at least one call series parameter; and defining, using the data processor, the identified plurality of calls as a call series based at least in part on results of the comparing.

Abstract: Some general aspects relate to systems and methods for media processing. One aspect, for example, relates to a method for aligning multimedia recording with a transcript. A group of search terms are formed from the transcript, with each search term being associated with a location within the transcript. Putative locations of the search terms are determined in a time interval of the multimedia recording. For each search term, zero or more putative locations are determined and, for at least some of the search terms, multiple putative locations are determined in the time interval of the multimedia recording. According to a first sequencing constraint, a first representation of a group of sequences each of a subset of the putative locations of the search terms is formed. A second representation of a group of sequences each of a subset of the search terms is formed. Using the first and the second representations, the time interval of the multimedia recording is partially aligned with the transcript.

Abstract: Some general aspects relate to systems, software, and methods for media processing. In one aspect, a script associated with a multimedia recording is accepted, wherein the script includes dialogue, speaker indications and video event indications. A group of search terms are formed from the dialogue, with each search term being associated with a location within the script. Zero or more putative locations of each of the search terms are identified in a time interval of the multimedia recording. For at least some of the search terms, multiple putative locations are identified in the time interval of the multimedia recording. The time interval of the multimedia recording and the script are partially aligned using the determined putative locations of the search terms and one or more of the following: a result of matching audio characteristics of the multimedia recording with the speaker indications, and a result of matching video characteristics of the multimedia recording with the video event indications.