Voiceprint identification system

Abstract

A voiceprint identification system identifies and verifies a user from voice data collected from a single interaction with the user. The voice data is a number, word phrase or any utterance chosen by the user. A first speech-processor processes the voice data to produce first match criteria, and a second speech-processor processes the same voice data to produce second match criteria, the first match criteria being different than the second match criteria. The first match criteria is used to select a subset of authorized persons, and, for each selected authorized person, the authorized person's voice template is retrieved from a database. The retrieved voice templates are individually compared to the second match criteria until either the second match criteria matches one of the retrieved voice templates or all the retrieved voice templates have been compared without matching the second match criteria.

What is claimed is:  
     
         1 . A voiceprint identification system, comprising: 
 a receiving device receiving a message from a caller and isolating a name of the caller;    a database storing a record for the caller including a speech template corresponding to the name of the caller and the message; and    a selection device receiving a selected name from a subscriber, and retrieving and playing back messages stored in the database left by a caller with the selected name.    
     
     
         2 . The voiceprint identification system as recited in  claim 1 , wherein the receiving device isolates a name of the caller by separately prompting the caller for his name.  
     
     
         3 . The voiceprint identification system as recited in  claim 1 , wherein the receiving device isolates a name of the caller by using a speech independent processor to analyze a plurality of words spoken for a predetermined period of time at a beginning of the message until locating a name.  
     
     
         4 . A method for operating a voiceprint identification system, comprising: 
 allowing callers to leave a name and a message; and    allowing a subscriber to speak a selected name to retrieve all messages left by a caller with the selected name.