How to set up Voice Authentication for x-hoppers

Introduction

x-hoppers allows you to configure the logic of assigning headsets to users via:

1. Simple user sign in (dial-by-name), so that staff can take the headset from the charger, pronounce their names and automatically get assigned to the headset

2. Voice authentication (pre-saved voice footprint), when the system compares the voice of the user with user voices (voice footprints) previously saved in the system and in case of a match, allows authentication, which eliminates the risk of user logging in under a different name

Requirements 

• x-hoppers system on WMS 6.07 and higher

• Licensing:

  • Simple user sign in: SalesFloorHopper and higher

  • Voice authentication: SalesFloorHopper + AI and higher

Configuration

Simple user sign in authentication

By default, the feature is disabled. To enable it:

• Add the parameter --xhop_voice_login true to the /etc/systemd/system/pbx-data-engine.service.d/override.conf file. The parameter should be added to the line "ExecStart=/usr/sbin/pbx_data_engine.py --daemon -cr" (-cr is used in case of recording in-store conversations): 

  vi  /etc/systemd/system/pbx-data-engine.service.d/override.conf [Service] ExecStart= ExecStart=/usr/sbin/pbx_data_engine.py --daemon -cr --xhop_voice_login true

• Optionally, you can enable simple user sign in for users of specific Departments only. For this, add “department” value after --xhop_voice_login and indicate the list of departments in the environment variable XHOP_VOICE_AUTH_DEPS_LIST separated by comma:

  vi /etc/systemd/system/pbx-data-engine.service.d/override.conf [Service] ExecStart= ExecStart=/usr/sbin/pbx_data_engine.py --daemon -cr --xhop_voice_login department Environment='XHOP_VOICE_AUTH_DEPS_LIST=Sales,Support'

• Make sure to reload systemd and restart the service to apply the changes:

  systemctl daemon-reload systemctl restart pbx-data-engine

When enabled, each time the headset is placed into the charger, user gets unassigned and gets Service license type in the system.

When a user lifts the headset from the charger:

1. The user is asked to say their name

2. The user should pronounce the name and surname 

3. The system looks for the user and assigns the headset to the user

Voice footprint authentication

When this feature is enabled, during user voice authentication the system compares the voice of the user with user voices previously saved in the system and in case of a match, allows authentication. 

To enable the feature, follow the instructions below:

1. Download the following Dialplan and upload it on your PBX in the tab Dialplan rules:

2. Add the following variable to x-hoppers admin -> Dialplan -> General Settings -> Set dialplan variables field and click Save:

   XHOP_VOICE_AUTH=yes 

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Once enabled, upon lifting the headset, users are prompted to say the phrase “with x-hoppers, my voice is my password“ to access broadcasts. If the voice authentication attempt fails, they are prompted to provide their Colleague ID (extension number) and name. In case voice footprint is missing, users are suggested to record it. There are 3 attempts with 3 retries each to record the footprint. The system matches the pronunciation with user records and assigns the headset. Each time the headset is placed into the charger, it gets unassigned and gets Service license type.

Configure virtual users 

It is possible to configure dummy (virtual) users for assigning a headset in case a user could not be verified by voice after 3 attempts. To set a list of dummy users for assigning a headset in case of voice authentication failure:

1. Create the file with the following name:

   /rw2/etc/pbx/x-hoppers_dummy_users.json

2. In this file, add the list of dummy user extensions, for example:

   [703, 706, 702]

When dummy users are configured, and a user fails to complete voice authentication, the headset gets automatically assigned to an available dummy user. 

Request Colleague ID during login

If you wish to make user Colleague ID (user extension) mandatory during login, add the following variable to x-hoppers admin -> Dialplan -> General Settings -> Set dialplan variables field and click Save:

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This option could be useful to cover rare cases when a user performing voice authentication could get low probability result against his own voice footprint for some reason, and therefore could be matched via extension.

Customization

It is possible to customize prompts pronounced during voice authentication. For this, add the following variable(s) to x-hoppers admin -> Dialplan -> General Settings -> Set dialplan variables field:

1. To set your custom prompt instead of the default voice footprint message “After the beep please say with x-hoppers: my voice is my password“:

   XHOPPERS_VOICEFOOTPRINT_PROMPT=your custom prompt

2. To set a custom prompt instead of “Please say your first and last name to use the device“. For example, as long as it is possible to login via extension number, you can change the prompt to “Say your extension”:

   XHOPPERS_LOGIN_PROMPT=custom login message

3. To skip the playback message “Please hold to use the device, or say cancel to search again“: 

   XHOPPERS_CONFIRMATION_PROMPT=no

   By default, the value is yes. 

4. To set a custom x-hoppers message instead of the default “Thank you”, pronounced at the end of voice authentication, when a user needs to wait till the headset joins the conference:

   XHOPPERS_FINISH_PROMPT=your custom prompt

5. By default, during voice authentication, a message with information about battery level of x-hoppers headsets is played to users. To customize the default message “Battery level is. Make sure the headset is charged”:

   XHOPPERS_BATTERY_PROMPT=Battery level is %s. Make sure the headset is charged.

   Where "%s" stands for battery level and can be used to pronounce the battery level information in the needed place.

6. To disable battery level announcement:

   XHOPPERS_ANNOUNCE_BATTERY_LEVEL=no

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