Method and apparatus for speech behavior visualization and gamification

Abstract

In some example embodiments, a system is provided for real-time analysis of audio signals. First digital audio signals are retrieved from memory. First computed streamed signal information corresponding to each of the first digital audio signals is generated by computing first metrics data for the first digital audio signals, the first computed streamed signal information including the first metrics data. The computed first streamed signal information is stored in the memory. The first computed streamed signal information is transmitted to one or more computing devices. Transmitting the first computed streamed signal information to the one or more computing devices causes the first computed streamed signal information to be displayed at the one or more computing devices.

1 .- 11 . (canceled) 
     
     
         12 . A system for providing real-time analysis of audio signals, comprising:
 a memory, and   a processor coupled to the memory, the processor being operable to: retrieve, from the memory, first digital audio signals;   generate first computed streamed signal information corresponding to each of the first digital audio signals by computing first metrics data for the first digital audio signals, the first computed streamed signal information including the first metrics data;   store the computed first streamed signal information in the memory; and   transmit the first computed streamed signal information to one or more computing devices,   wherein the transmitting the first computed streamed signal information to the one or more computing devices causes the first computed streamed signal information to be displayed at the one or more computing devices.   
     
     
         13 . The system of  claim 12 , wherein the first digital audio signals correspond to first source audio signals. 
     
     
         14 . The system of  claim 13 , wherein the real-time analysis is performed within a predetermined time between a first time of receiving the plurality of first source audio signals and a second time of transmitting the first computed streamed signal information to the agent computing device. 
     
     
         15 . The system of  claim 13 , wherein the plurality of first source audio signals are received via one or more of a voice over internet protocol (VoIP) and a public switched telephone network (PSTN). 
     
     
         16 . The system of  claim 12 ,
 wherein the memory is operable to store historical metrics data, and   wherein the first computed streamed signal information includes first contextual metrics data, the contextual metrics data indicating a comparison between the first metrics data and the historical metrics data.   
     
     
         17 . The system of  claim 12 , wherein the metrics are configured dynamically during a call associated with the first source audio signals. 
     
     
         18 . The system of  claim 12 , wherein the metrics are configured statically prior to a call associated with the first source audio signals. 
     
     
         19 . The system of  claim 12 , wherein the processor is further operable to:
 retrieve, from the memory, second digital audio signals;   generate second computed streamed signal information corresponding to each of the second digital audio signals by computing second metrics data for the second digital audio signals, the second computed streamed signal information including the second metrics data;   store the computed second streamed signal information in the memory; and   transmit the second computed streamed signal information to the one or more computing devices,   wherein the transmitting the second computed streamed signal information to the one or more computing devices causes the second computed streamed signal information to be displayed at the one or more computing devices.   
     
     
         20 . The system of  claim 19 , wherein the one or more computing devices includes a supervisor computing device, and wherein the first computed streamed signal information and the second computed streamed signal information is transmitted to and caused to be displayed at the supervisor computing device. 
     
     
         21 . The system of  claim 12 , wherein metrics included in the metrics data includes one or more of conversational participation, conversational flow, dynamic variation, speaking rate, vocal effort, hyper articulation and hypo articulation. 
     
     
         22 .- 47 . (canceled) 
     
     
         48 . The system of  claim 12 , wherein the first metrics data comprises at least one of (i) to (ix):
 (i) a measure of pace at which a first party has spoken and a measure of pace at which a second party has spoken, over an interval of time;   (ii) a measure of tone with which a first party has spoken and a measure of tone with which a second party has spoken, over an interval of time;   (iii) a measure of speaking rate at which a first party has spoken and a measure of speaking rate at which a second party has spoken, over an interval of time;   (iv) a measure of vocal effort with which a first party has spoken and a measure of vocal effort with which a second party has spoken, over an interval of time a; and   (v) a measure of degree of articulation with which a first party has spoken and a measure of degree of articulation with which a second party has spoken a, over an interval of time;   (vi) a measure of amount of time a first party has spoken relative to a second party a over an interval of time;   (vii) a measure of conversational engagement of parties over an interval of time;   (viii) a measure of perceived depression with which a party has spoken over an interval of time; and   (ix) a measure of conversational flow over an interval of time.   
     
     
         49 . The system of  claim 48 , wherein causing the first computed streamed signal information to be displayed at the one or more computing devices comprises rendering, by a processor of the one or more computing devices, on a continuous basis during a multi-party telephonic communication, one or more graphical user interface widgets for substantially contemporaneous presentation on a display to the first party wherein the one or more widgets are graphically representative of the one or more metrics and are rendered for display on a real-time basis. 
     
     
         50 . The system of  claim 49 , wherein the rendering comprises rendering a timeline widget that scrolls contemporaneously with at least a portion of the telephonic communication graphically indicating when the first party is speaking and when the second party is speaking. 
     
     
         51 . The system of  claim 49 , wherein the rendering comprises rendering a numerical representation of the measure of conversational engagement at intervals contemporaneously with at least a portion of the telephonic communication, leaving behind a graphical record of engagement scores corresponding to intervals of time during the telephonic communication. 
     
     
         52 . The system of  claim 51 , wherein each rendering of engagement score is color-coded such that low engagement scores can be immediately visually differentiated from high engagement scores. 
     
     
         53 . The system of  claim 49 , wherein the rendering comprises rendering a “tone” widget comprising a graphical element representing the measure of tone of the first party in positional relation to a graphical element representing the measure of tone of the second party, and updating the widget substantially contemporaneously with the telephonic communication to reflect changes in the measures of tone of the first party and second party. 
     
     
         54 . The system of  claim 53 , wherein the tone widget graphically reflects both an “instantaneous” measure of tone of the first and second parties, and a rolling measure of tone of the first and second parties. 
     
     
         55 . The system of  claim 49 , wherein the rendering comprises rendering a “pace” widget comprising a graphical element representing the measure of speaking rate of the first party in positional relation to a graphical element representing the measure of speaking rate of the second party, and updating the widget substantially contemporaneously with the telephonic communication to reflect changes in the measures of speaking rate of the first party and second party. 
     
     
         56 . The system of  claim 55 , wherein the pace widget graphically reflects both an “instantaneous” measure of speaking rate of the first and second parties, and a rolling measure of speaking rate of the first and second parties. 
     
     
         57 . The system of  claim 49 , wherein the rendering comprises rendering a “participation” widget comprising a graphical element (bar) representing the measure of amount of time the first party has spoken relative to the second party over an interval of time. 
     
     
         58 . The system of  claim 57 , wherein the participation widget comprises a color-coded graphic visually indicating whether the measure of amount of time the first party has spoken relative to the second party over the interval of time is acceptable or not. 
     
     
         59 . The system of  claim 48 , wherein the first metrics data comprises at least two of (i) to (ix).