System and method for managing calls

1. A computer-implemented method for managing calls in a collaboration environment, comprising:

detecting, by a processor, receipt of a call associated with a collaboration session or to a user associated with the collaboration session from a caller associated with an external device not currently connected to the collaboration session; and

providing, by the processor, an interface on the device associated with the user,

wherein the interface enables the user to instruct the device to handle the call within the collaboration session, and

wherein the user is identified based on contextual information regarding the caller.

2. The computer-implemented method of claim 1 , further including:

receiving at least one of an email message or a text message from the caller, and

determining the contextual information based on the received email message or the received text message.

3. The computer-implemented method of claim 1 , wherein

the collaboration session is one of a plurality of collaboration sessions, and

the method further includes selecting the collaboration session from the plurality of collaboration sessions based on identification information included in the call.

4. The computer-implemented method of claim 3 , wherein the identification information is at least one of a phone number or an identification number associated with the collaboration session.

5. The computer-implemented method of claim 1 , wherein

the collaboration session is one of a plurality of collaboration sessions, and

the method further includes selecting the collaboration session from the plurality of collaboration sessions based on contextual information regarding the caller and information regarding users participating in the collaboration sessions.

6. The computer-implemented method of claim 5 , further including:

receiving content of communications exchanged between the users;

identify characteristics of the collaboration sessions based on the received content; and

select the collaboration session based on a comparison of the contextual information and the identified characteristics.

7. The computer-implemented method of claim 6 , wherein the communications exchanged between the users include at least one of electronic mail messages or text messages.

8. The computer-implemented method of claim 5 , wherein

the information regarding the users includes availability data of the users, and

the user is selected based on the availability data.

9. The computer-implemented method of claim 1 , further including obtaining the contextual information based on prior communication records related to the caller.

10. The computer-implemented method of claim 1 , further including:

receiving a text message from the device associated with the user;

converting the received text message into at least one of an audio message or a voice message; and

directing the audio message or the voice message to the external device associated with the caller.

11. The computer-implemented method of claim 1 , further including displaying a notification on the interface on the device associated with the user.

12. The computer-implemented method of claim 11 , further including displaying contextual information associated with the call on the interface on the device associated with the user.

13. The computer-implemented method of claim 12 , further including placing the call in a queue of calls, the queue being displayed on the interface.

14. The computer-implemented method of claim 13 , further including removing the call from the queue when the user has handled the call.

15. A server for managing calls in a collaboration session, the server comprising:

a memory storing instructions; and

a processor configured to execute the stored instructions to:

detect receipt of a call associated with a collaboration session or to a user associated with the collaboration session from a caller associated with an external device not currently connected to the collaboration session; and

provide an interface on the device associated with the user,

wherein the interface enables the user to instruct the device to handle the call within the collaboration session, and

wherein the user is identified based on contextual information regarding the caller.

16. The server of claim 15 , wherein the processor is configured to:

receive at least one of an email message or a text message from the caller; and

determine the contextual information based on the received email message or the received text message.

17. The server of claim 16 , wherein

the collaboration session is one of a plurality of collaboration sessions, and

the processor is configured to select the collaboration session from the plurality of collaboration sessions based on contextual information regarding the caller and information regarding the users participating in the collaboration sessions.

18. The server of claim 17 , wherein the processor is configured to:

receive content of communications exchanged between the users;

identify characteristics of the collaboration sessions based on the received content; and

select the collaboration session based on a comparison of the contextual information and the identified characteristics.

19. The server of claim 15 , wherein the processor is further configured to:

receive a text message from the device associated with the user;

convert the received text message into at least one of an audio message or a voice message; and

direct the audio message or the voice message to the external device associated with the caller.

20. The server of claim 15 , wherein the processor is further configured to:

cause a notification regarding the call to be displayed on the interface on the device associated with the user; and

cause the contextual information to be displayed adjacent the notification.