Utterance condition determination apparatus and method

An utterance condition determination method, comprising:

• estimating by a computer an average backchannel frequency that represents a backchannel frequency of a second speaker in a period of time from a voice start time of a voice signal of the second speaker to a predetermined time based on a voice signal of a first speaker and the voice signal of the second speaker;
• calculating, by the computer, a backchannel frequency of the second speaker for each unit of time based on the voice signal of the first speaker and the voice signal of the second speaker;
• determining by the computer a satisfaction level of the second speaker based on the estimated average backchannel frequency and the calculated backchannel frequency;
• selecting by the computer one of a plurality of pieces of information stored in a memory using the determined satisfaction level, the plurality of pieces of information each corresponding to each satisfaction level of the second speaker, and
• outputting by the computer the selected one of the plurality of pieces of information.

A non-transitory computer-readable recording medium having stored therein a program for causing a computer to execute a process for determining an utterance condition, the process comprising:

• estimating an average backchannel frequency that represents a backchannel frequency of a second speaker in a period of time from a voice start time of a voice signal of the second speaker to a predetermined time based on a voice signal of a first speaker and the voice signal of the second speaker;
• calculating a backchannel frequency of the second speaker for each unit of time based on the voice signal of the first speaker and the voice signal of the second speaker;
• determining a satisfaction level of the second speaker based on the estimated average backchannel frequency and the calculated backchannel frequency;
• selecting by the computer one of a plurality of pieces of information stored in a memory using the determined satisfaction level, the plurality of pieces of information each corresponding to each satisfaction level of the second speaker, and
• outputting by the computer the selected one of the plurality of pieces of information.