Abstract:
A processor-implemented method, system, and/or computer program product retrieves a voice print of a caller to a call network. A processor generates a first voice print, a second voice print, and a third voice print of a caller who makes a call to a call network. The first voice print, the second voice print, and the third voice print are consolidated into a consolidated voice print. In response to a request for a particular voice print, the requested voice print is selectively retrieved from first voice print, the second voice print, and the third voice print in the consolidated voice print, and then sent to the requester.

Description:
[0001]    The present application is a continuation of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 12/582,387 (Atty. Docket No. END920090026US1), filed on Oct. 20, 2009, and entitled, “Correlating Call Log Files Using Voice Prints,” which is incorporated herein by reference. 
     
    
     BACKGROUND 
       [0002]    The present disclosure relates to the field of telecommunications, and specifically to the management of calls to call networks. Still more particularly, the present disclosure relates to logging and storing log files related to calls made to call networks. 
       SUMMARY 
       [0003]    According to one embodiment of the present invention, a processor-implemented method, system, and/or computer program product retrieves a voice print of a caller to a call network. A processor generates a first voice print, a second voice print, and a third voice print of a caller who makes a call to a call network. The first voice print is generated by a telecom router switch in the call network, the second voice print is generated by a telecom software system in the call network, and the third voice print is generated by a contact center agent in the call network. The first voice print, the second voice print, and the third voice print are consolidated into a consolidated voice print that comprises an original version of the first voice print, the second voice print, and the third voice print. A request for a requested voice print of the caller is received. The request includes a time of the call, a phone number of the caller, and/or a name of the caller. The processor retrieves the requested voice print from first voice print, the second voice print, and the third voice print in the consolidated voice print, and sends it to the requester. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE SEVERAL VIEWS OF THE DRAWINGS 
         [0004]      FIG. 1  depicts an exemplary computer in which all or some elements of the present disclosure may be implemented; 
           [0005]      FIG. 2  illustrates prior-art steps taken to log a call into a telecommunication network; 
           [0006]      FIG. 3  depicts appending a caller&#39;s voice print to a call&#39;s log file in the telecommunication network in order to create a single correlated log file for the call; 
           [0007]      FIG. 4  illustrates a system manager utilizing the single correlated log file when requesting information about the call; and 
           [0008]      FIG. 5  is a high-level flow-chart of exemplary steps taken to utilize a caller&#39;s voice print to identify and correlate calling log data for a call to a network. 
       
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
       [0009]    As will be appreciated by one skilled in the art, aspects of the present invention may be embodied as a system, method or computer program product. Accordingly, aspects of the present invention may take the form of an entirely hardware embodiment, an entirely software embodiment (including firmware, resident software, micro-code, etc.) or an embodiment combining software and hardware aspects that may all generally be referred to herein as a “circuit,” “module” or “system.” Furthermore, aspects of the present invention may take the form of a computer program product embodied in one or more computer readable medium(s) having computer readable program code embodied thereon. 
         [0010]    Any combination of one or more computer readable medium(s) may be utilized. The computer readable medium may be a computer readable signal medium or a computer readable storage medium. A computer readable storage medium may be, for example, but not limited to, an electronic, magnetic, optical, electromagnetic, infrared, or semiconductor system, apparatus, or device, or any suitable combination of the foregoing. More specific examples (a non-exhaustive list) of the computer readable storage medium would include the following: an electrical connection having one or more wires, a portable computer diskette, a hard disk, a random access memory (RAM), a read-only memory (ROM), an erasable programmable read-only memory (EPROM or Flash memory), an optical fiber, a portable compact disc read-only memory (CD-ROM), an optical storage device, a magnetic storage device, or any suitable combination of the foregoing. In the context of this document, a computer readable storage medium may be any tangible medium that can contain, or store a program for use by or in connection with an instruction execution system, apparatus, or device. 
         [0011]    A computer readable signal medium may include a propagated data signal with computer readable program code embodied therein, for example, in baseband or as part of a carrier wave. Such a propagated signal may take any of a variety of forms, including, but not limited to, electro-magnetic, optical, or any suitable combination thereof. A computer readable signal medium may be any computer readable medium that is not a computer readable storage medium and that can communicate, propagate, or transport a program for use by or in connection with an instruction execution system, apparatus, or device. 
         [0012]    Program code embodied on a computer readable medium may be transmitted using any appropriate medium, including, but not limited to, wireless, wireline, optical fiber cable, RF, etc., or any suitable combination of the foregoing. 
         [0013]    Computer program code for carrying out operations for aspects of the present invention may be written in any combination of one or more programming languages, including an object oriented programming language such as Java, Smalltalk, C++ or the like and conventional procedural programming languages, such as the “C” programming language or similar programming languages. The program code may execute entirely on the user&#39;s computer, partly on the user&#39;s computer, as a stand-alone software package, partly on the user&#39;s computer and partly on a remote computer or entirely on the remote computer or server. In the latter scenario, the remote computer may be connected to the user&#39;s computer through any type of network, including a local area network (LAN) or a wide area network (WAN), or the connection may be made to an external computer (for example, through the Internet using an Internet Service Provider). 
         [0014]    Aspects of the present invention are described below with reference to flowchart illustrations and/or block diagrams of methods, apparatus (systems) and computer program products according to embodiments of the invention. It will be understood that each block of the flowchart illustrations and/or block diagrams, and combinations of blocks in the flowchart illustrations and/or block diagrams, can be implemented by computer program instructions. These computer program instructions may be provided to a processor of a general purpose computer, special purpose computer, or other programmable data processing apparatus to produce a machine, such that the instructions, which execute via the processor of the computer or other programmable data processing apparatus, create means for implementing the functions/acts specified in the flowchart and/or block diagram block or blocks. 
         [0015]    These computer program instructions may also be stored in a computer readable medium that can direct a computer, other programmable data processing apparatus, or other devices to function in a particular manner, such that the instructions stored in the computer readable medium produce an article of manufacture including instructions which implement the function/act specified in the flowchart and/or block diagram block or blocks. 
         [0016]    The computer program instructions may also be loaded onto a computer, other programmable data processing apparatus, or other devices to cause a series of operational steps to be performed on the computer, other programmable apparatus or other devices to produce a computer implemented process such that the instructions which execute on the computer or other programmable apparatus provide processes for implementing the functions/acts specified in the flowchart and/or block diagram block or blocks. 
         [0017]    With reference now to the figures, and in particular to  FIG. 1 , there is depicted a block diagram of an exemplary computer  102 , which may be utilized by the present invention. Note that some or all of the exemplary architecture, including both depicted hardware and software, shown for and within computer  102  may be utilized by software deploying server  150  and/or caller system  152 , as well as the telecom router switch  306 , telecom software system  314 , contact center agent  320 , and system administrator  400  shown in  FIG. 4 . 
         [0018]    Computer  102  includes a processor unit  104  that is coupled to a system bus  106 . Processor unit  104  may utilize one or more processors, each of which has one or more processor cores. A video adapter  108 , which drives/supports a display  110 , is also coupled to system bus  106 . In one embodiment, a switch  107  couples the video adapter  108  to the system bus  106 . Alternatively, the switch  107  may couple the video adapter  108  to the display  110 . In either embodiment, the switch  107  is a switch, preferably mechanical, that allows the display  110  to be coupled to the system bus  106 , and thus to be functional only upon execution of instructions (e.g., voice print correlation and call routing program VPCCRP  148  described below) that support the processes described herein. 
         [0019]    System bus  106  is coupled via a bus bridge  112  to an input/output (I/O) bus  114 . An I/O interface  116  is coupled to I/O bus  114 . I/O interface  116  affords communication with various I/O devices, including a keyboard  118 , a mouse  120 , a media tray  122  (which may include storage devices such as CD-ROM drives, multi-media interfaces, etc.), a printer  124 , and (if a VHDL chip  137  is not utilized in a manner described below), external USB port(s)  126 . While the format of the ports connected to I/O interface  116  may be any known to those skilled in the art of computer architecture, in a preferred embodiment some or all of these ports are universal serial bus (USB) ports. 
         [0020]    As depicted, computer  102  is able to communicate with a software deploying server  150  via network  128  using a network interface  130 . Network  128  may be an external network such as the Internet, or an internal network such as an Ethernet or a virtual private network (VPN). 
         [0021]    A hard drive interface  132  is also coupled to system bus  106 . Hard drive interface  132  interfaces with a hard drive  134 . In a preferred embodiment, hard drive  134  populates a system memory  136 , which is also coupled to system bus  106 . System memory is defined as a lowest level of volatile memory in computer  102 . This volatile memory includes additional higher levels of volatile memory (not shown), including, but not limited to, cache memory, registers and buffers. Data that populates system memory  136  includes computer  102 &#39;s operating system (OS)  138  and application programs  144 . 
         [0022]    OS  138  includes a shell  140 , for providing transparent user access to resources such as application programs  144 . Generally, shell  140  is a program that provides an interpreter and an interface between the user and the operating system. More specifically, shell  140  executes commands that are entered into a command line user interface or from a file. Thus, shell  140 , also called a command processor, is generally the highest level of the operating system software hierarchy and serves as a command interpreter. The shell provides a system prompt, interprets commands entered by keyboard, mouse, or other user input media, and sends the interpreted command(s) to the appropriate lower levels of the operating system (e.g., a kernel  142 ) for processing. Note that while shell  140  is a text-based, line-oriented user interface, the present invention will equally well support other user interface modes, such as graphical, voice, gestural, etc. 
         [0023]    As depicted, OS  138  also includes kernel  142 , which includes lower levels of functionality for OS  138 , including providing essential services required by other parts of OS  138  and application programs  144 , including memory management, process and task management, disk management, and mouse and keyboard management. 
         [0024]    Application programs  144  include a renderer, shown in exemplary manner as a browser  146 . Browser  146  includes program modules and instructions enabling a world wide web (WWW) client (i.e., computer  102 ) to send and receive network messages to the Internet using hypertext transfer protocol (HTTP) messaging, thus enabling communication with software deploying server  150  and other described computer systems. 
         [0025]    Application programs  144  in computer  102 &#39;s system memory (as well as software deploying server  150 &#39;s system memory) also include a voice print correlation and call routing program (VPCCRP)  148 . VPCCRP  148  includes code for implementing the processes described below, including those described in  FIGS. 3-5 . In one embodiment, computer  102  is able to download VPCCRP  148  from software deploying server  150 , including in an on-demand basis. Note further that, in one embodiment of the present invention, software deploying server  150  performs all of the functions associated with the present invention (including execution of VPCCRP  148 ), thus freeing computer  102  from having to use its own internal computing resources to execute VPCCRP  148 . 
         [0026]    Also stored in system memory  136  is a VHDL (VHSIC hardware description language) program  139 . VHDL is an exemplary design-entry language for field programmable gate arrays (FPGAs), application specific integrated circuits (ASICs), and other similar electronic devices. In one embodiment, execution of instructions from VPCCRP  148  causes VHDL program  139  to configure VHDL chip  137 , which may be an FPGA, ASIC, etc. 
         [0027]    In another embodiment of the present invention, execution of instructions from VPCCRP  148  results in a utilization of VHDL program  139  to program a VHDL emulation chip  151 . VHDL emulation chip  151  may incorporate a similar architecture as described above for VHDL chip  137 . Once VPCCRP  148  and VHDL program  139  program VHDL emulation chip  151 , VHDL emulation chip  151  performs, as hardware, some or all functions described by one or more executions of some or all of the instructions found in VPCCRP  148 . That is, the VHDL emulation chip  151  is a hardware emulation of some or all of the software instructions found in VPCCRP  148 . In one embodiment, VHDL emulation chip  151  is a programmable read only memory (PROM) that, once burned in accordance with instructions from VPCCRP  148  and VHDL program  139 , is permanently transformed into a new circuitry that performs the functions needed to perform the process described below in  FIGS. 3-5 . 
         [0028]    The hardware elements depicted in computer  102  are not intended to be exhaustive, but rather are representative to highlight essential components required by the present invention. For instance, computer  102  may include alternate memory storage devices such as magnetic cassettes, digital versatile disks (DVDs), Bernoulli cartridges, and the like. These and other variations are intended to be within the spirit and scope of the present invention. 
         [0029]    With reference now to  FIG. 2 , a prior art telecommunication network  200  is presented. Assume that a caller  202  has placed a call  204  to the telecommunication network  200 , which may be a contact center network, a call center network, or any other network designed to handle phone calls from multiple customers, clients, users, etc., and to direct them to a person, software or other agent, in accordance with the nature of their call. The call  204  is first received by a telecom router switch  206 , which identifies the time and date of the call  204  while the call  204  is being handled by the telecommunication network  200 . This information is logged into a log  208 , and is then passed on to and stored in a central logging system  210  as a telecom router switch log file  212 . The call  204  is then passed on to a telecom software system  214 , which may be an interactive voice response (IVR) system or any other software system designed to pass the call to the appropriate resource within telecommunication network  200 . Telecom software system  214  generates a telecom software system log file, which identifies the telephone number of the caller  202 . This telecom software system log file is stored in a local log  216 , and then passed on to and stored in the central logging system  210  as a telecom software system log file  218 . Finally, the call  204  is passed on to a contact center agent  220 , which is software and/or a person that identifies the name of the caller. The contact center agent  220  stores this name information as a contact center agent log file in a local log  222 , and then passes it on for storage in the central logging system  210  as a contact center agent log file  224 . As depicted, the telecom router switch log file  212 , the telecom software system log file  218 , and the contact center agent log file  224  are all separate files with no common identifiers. Thus, there is no way to know that these three log files are for the same call  204 . 
         [0030]    With reference now to  FIG. 3 , an improved and novel telecommunication network  300  is depicted. Telecommunication network  300  may be a contact center network, a call center network, or any other network designed to handle phone calls from multiple customers, clients, users, etc., and to direct them to a person, software or other agent, in accordance with the nature of their call. A call  304  from a caller  302  is first received by a telecom router switch  306 , which identifies the time and date of the call  304  while the call  304  is being handled by the telecommunication network  300 . Within telecom router switch  306  is voice print logic, shown as a conversational biometric distributor and authenticator (CDBA)  309   a . CDBA  309   a  is able to take a voice print of caller  304 . This voice print can be created by prompting the caller to state his name, any baseline word or phrase, or any other word or phrase. This voice print is digitized into a numeric value and appended to the telecom router switch log file  212 , which was described in  FIG. 2 , to generate a correlated telecom router switch log file  330 , which is stored in the local log  308  and then passed on to the central logging system  310 . 
         [0031]    The call  304  is then passed on to a telecom software system  314 , which may be an interactive voice response (IVR) system or any other software system designed to pass the call to the appropriate resource within telecommunication network  300 . Telecom software system  314  generates a telecom software system log file, which identifies the telephone number of the caller  302 , and then appends the voice print, which was generated earlier by telecom router switch  306 , to generate a correlated telecom software system log file  340 . This correlated telecom software system log file  340  is stored in a local log  316 , and is then passed on to and stored in the central logging system  310 . Finally, the call  304  is passed on to a contact center agent  320 , which is software and/or a person that identifies the name of the caller and stores this name information along with the voice print in a local log  322  as a correlated contact center agent log file  350 . The contact center agent  320  stores this correlated contact center agent log file  350  in a local log  322 , and then passes it on for storage in the central logging system  310 . The central logging system  310  utilizes the voice print found in all three log files to locate the consolidated files ( 330 ,  340 ,  350 ) in order to generate a single correlated log file  311  for the call  304  that contains the information in these consolidated files ( 330 ,  340 ,  350 ). 
         [0032]    Note that while the voice print is described as being generated by the CDBA  309   a  in the telecom router switch  306 , in one embodiment voice prints can be generated by CDBA  309   b  in telecom software system  314  and by CDBA  309   c  in contact center agent  320 . These multiple voice prints thus provide additional voice print data, which can be consolidated into a single voice print by the central logging system  310 . This consolidated single voice print is able to identify the voice prints generated by all of the CDBAs  309   a - c , thus providing means for identifying all of the three correlated call logs, while allowing each of the three correlated call logs to maintain their own unique voice prints. 
         [0033]    With reference now to  FIG. 4 , assume that a user of a computer depicted as system administrator  400  desires to perform an analysis of calls received at the telecommunication network  300 . The user of system administrator  400  needs only to know information about when the call  304  was processed, the phone number of the caller  302 , or the name of the caller  302 . By knowing any of these three items, the system administrator  400  is able to retrieve all three sets of data, since they are now consolidated and correlated into the single correlated log file  311 . Thus, the system administrator  400  can send a request to retrieve the caller&#39;s call log (step  402 ) using any of the three data elements (caller&#39;s name, phone number, or date/time of call). In one embodiment, only the voice print is returned to the system administrator (step  404 ). The system administrator  400  can then use this voice print (voice signature) to request all logs (step  406 ) that have this voice print appended to the log (as described above). The central logging system  310  can then return the single correlated log file  311 , as shown in step  408 . 
         [0034]    With reference now to  FIG. 5 , a high-level flow chart of exemplary steps taken to correlate log files in a call network is presented. After initiator block  502 , a call network (e.g., a contact center network) receives a call from a caller (block  504 ). A voice print of the caller is generated (block  506 ), and is appended to the telecom router switch log file (to generate a correlated telecom router switch log file), the telecom software system log file (to generate a correlated telecom software system log file), and the contact center agent log file (to generate a correlated contact center agent log file) as described above. These three voice print-augmented correlated log files are then consolidated into a single correlated log file for the call (block  508 ). The single correlated log file for the call is stored in a central logging system (block  510 ), which provides the single correlated log file to any requester (block  512 ), such as a system auditor, a system manager, etc. The process ends at terminator block  514 . 
         [0035]    The flowchart and block diagrams in the figures illustrate the architecture, functionality, and operation of possible implementations of systems, methods and computer program products according to various embodiments of the present disclosure. In this regard, each block in the flowchart or block diagrams may represent a module, segment, or portion of code, which comprises one or more executable instructions for implementing the specified logical function(s). It should also be noted that, in some alternative implementations, the functions noted in the block may occur out of the order noted in the figures. For example, two blocks shown in succession may, in fact, be executed substantially concurrently, or the blocks may sometimes be executed in the reverse order, depending upon the functionality involved. It will also be noted that each block of the block diagrams and/or flowchart illustration, and combinations of blocks in the block diagrams and/or flowchart illustration, can be implemented by special purpose hardware-based systems that perform the specified functions or acts, or combinations of special purpose hardware and computer instructions. 
         [0036]    The terminology used herein is for the purpose of describing particular embodiments only and is not intended to be limiting of the invention. As used herein, the singular forms “a”, “an” and “the” are intended to include the plural forms as well, unless the context clearly indicates otherwise. It will be further understood that the terms “comprises” and/or “comprising,” when used in this specification, specify the presence of stated features, integers, steps, operations, elements, and/or components, but do not preclude the presence or addition of one or more other features, integers, steps, operations, elements, components, and/or groups thereof. 
         [0037]    The corresponding structures, materials, acts, and equivalents of all means or step plus function elements in the claims below are intended to include any structure, material, or act for performing the function in combination with other claimed elements as specifically claimed. The description of various embodiments of the present invention has been presented for purposes of illustration and description, but is not intended to be exhaustive or limited to the invention in the form disclosed. Many modifications and variations will be apparent to those of ordinary skill in the art without departing from the scope and spirit of the invention. The embodiment was chosen and described in order to best explain the principles of the invention and the practical application, and to enable others of ordinary skill in the art to understand the invention for various embodiments with various modifications as are suited to the particular use contemplated. 
         [0038]    Note further that any methods described in the present disclosure may be implemented through the use of a VHDL (VHSIC Hardware Description Language) program and a VHDL chip. VHDL is an exemplary design-entry language for Field Programmable Gate Arrays (FPGAs), Application Specific Integrated Circuits (ASICs), and other similar electronic devices. Thus, any software-implemented method described herein may be emulated by a hardware-based VHDL program, which is then applied to a VHDL chip, such as a FPGA. 
         [0039]    Having thus described embodiments of the invention of the present application in detail and by reference to illustrative embodiments thereof, it will be apparent that modifications and variations are possible without departing from the scope of the invention defined in the appended claims.