Method and apparatus for managing conference calls

1. A method comprising:

receiving, by a processing system including a processor and based on user input at a first communication device, signals indicating selection of a plurality of target participants to engage in a communication session;

identifying, by the processing system, from presence information retrieved for each of the target participants, a target communication device having a conferencing type indicating whether the target participant can participate in video conferencing or audio-only conferencing;

presenting, by the processing system, a list of the target participants and the conferencing type for each target communication device, wherein the list includes a plurality of distinct conferencing types, wherein a first set of the target participants is associated with video conferencing and a second set of the target participants is associated with audio-only conferencing;

receiving, by the processing system based on user input at the first communication device, a selection of a target conferencing type, the selection thereby specifying the target conferencing type prior to initiation of the communication session, the target conferencing type comprising one of audio-only, video-only and audio-video hybrid;

in accordance with the target conferencing type being the audio-video hybrid, contacting, by the processing system, the first set of the target participants on a video channel and the second set of the target participants on a voice channel; and

initiating, by the processing system, the communication session with the target communication device of each of the target participants,

wherein in accordance with the target conferencing type being the audio-video hybrid, an audio-video session is initiated using an IP multimedia subsystem, the IP multimedia subsystem being configured to facilitate services of circuit-switched and packet-switched systems,

wherein in accordance with the target conferencing type being audio-only, the communication session is initiated with only the first set of the target participants as an audio-only communication session using the voice channel, and

wherein in accordance with the target conferencing type being video-only, the communication session is initiated with only the first set of the target participants as a video-only communication session using the video channel.

2. The method of claim 1 ,

wherein the processing system comprises a base unit in communication with the first communication device, with each target communication device, and with a presence system, and

wherein the presence information is retrieved from the presence system via the base unit.

3. The method of claim 2 , wherein each target communication device communicates with the base unit using a DECT protocol.

4. The method of claim 2 , wherein the presence information is retrieved using a WiFi air interface.

5. The method of claim 1 , wherein the list of the target participants and the conferencing type for each target communication device is presented via a graphical user interface of the first communication device.

6. The method of claim 5 , wherein the first communication device comprises a tablet with a touch-sensitive display.

7. The method of claim 1 , wherein the first communication device comprises a video camera for presenting video information via the video channel.

8. The method of claim 1 , wherein the first communication device records a calendar event.

9. The method of claim 8 , wherein the communication session is initiated responsive to the first communication device detecting a trigger of the calendar event.

10. A device comprising:

a processing system including a processor; and

a memory that stores executable instructions that, when executed by the processing system, facilitate performance of operations, comprising:

receiving, based on user input at a first communication device, signals indicating selection of a plurality of target participants to engage in a communication session;

identifying, from presence information retrieved for each of the target participants, a target communication device having a conferencing type indicating whether the target participant can participate in video conferencing or audio-only conferencing;

presenting a list of the target participants and the conferencing type for each target communication device, wherein the list includes a plurality of distinct conferencing types, wherein a first set of the target participants is associated with video conferencing and a second set of the target participants is associated with audio-only conferencing;

receiving, based on user input at the first communication device, a selection of a target conferencing type, the selection thereby specifying the target conferencing type prior to initiation of the communication session, the target conferencing type comprising one of audio-only, video-only and audio-video hybrid;

in accordance with the target conferencing type being the audio-video hybrid, contacting, by the processing system, the first set of the target participants on a video channel and the second set of the target participants on a voice channel; and

initiating the communication session with the target communication device of each of the target participants,

wherein in accordance with the target conferencing type being the audio-video hybrid, an audio-video session is initiated using an IP multimedia subsystem, the IP multimedia subsystem being configured to facilitate services of circuit-switched and packet-switched systems,

wherein in accordance with the target conferencing type being audio-only, the communication session is initiated with only the first set of the target participants as an audio-only communication session using the voice channel,

wherein in accordance with the target conferencing type being video-only, the communication session is initiated with only the first set of the target participants as a video-only communication session using the video channel, and

wherein the processing system includes a base unit in communication with the first communication device, with each target communication device, and with a presence system.

11. The device of claim 10 , wherein the presence information is retrieved from the presence system via the base unit.

12. The device of claim 10 , wherein the list of the target participants and the conferencing type for each target communication device is presented via a graphical user interface of the first communication device.

13. The device of claim 10 , wherein the first communication device comprises a video camera for presenting video information via the video channel.

14. The device of claim 10 , wherein the first communication device records a calendar event.

15. The device of claim 14 , wherein the communication session is initiated responsive to the first communication device detecting a trigger of the calendar event.

16. A non-transitory machine-readable medium comprising executable instructions that, when executed by a processing system including a processor, facilitate performance of operations comprising:

receiving signals indicating selection of a plurality of target participants to engage in a communication session;

identifying, from presence information retrieved for each of the target participants, a target communication device having a conferencing type indicating whether the target participant can participate in video conferencing or audio-only conferencing;

presenting a list of the target participants and the conferencing type for each target communication device, wherein the list includes a plurality of distinct conferencing types, wherein a first set of the target participants is associated with video conferencing and a second set of the target participants is associated with audio-only conferencing;

receiving a selection of a target conferencing type, the selection thereby specifying the target conferencing type prior to initiation of the communication session, the target conferencing type comprising one of audio-only, video-only and audio-video hybrid;

in accordance with the target conferencing type being the audio-video hybrid, contacting, by the processing system, the first set of the target participants on a video channel and the second set of the target participants on a voice channel; and

initiating the communication session with the target communication device of each of the target participants,

wherein in accordance with the target conferencing type being the audio-video hybrid, an audio-video session is initiated using an IP multimedia subsystem, the IP multimedia subsystem being configured to facilitate services of circuit-switched and packet-switched systems,

wherein in accordance with the target conferencing type being audio-only, the communication session is initiated with only the first set of the target participants as an audio-only communication session using the voice channel, and

wherein in accordance with the target conferencing type being video-only, the communication session is initiated with only the first set of the target participants as a video-only communication session using the video channel.

17. The non-transitory machine-readable medium of claim 16 , wherein the processing system includes a first communication device, and wherein receiving the signals indicating selection of the target participants and receiving the selection of the target conferencing type are based on user input at the first communication device.

18. The non-transitory machine-readable medium of claim 17 , wherein the list of the target participants and the conferencing type for each target communication device is presented via a graphical user interface of the first communication device.

19. The non-transitory machine-readable medium of claim 17 , wherein the first communication device records a calendar event.

20. The non-transitory machine-readable medium of claim 19 , wherein the communication session is initiated responsive to the first communication device detecting a trigger of the calendar event.