BACKGROUND

The popularity and convenience of digital devices have caused the playing of media content to become ubiquitous. For example, users of desktop computers, laptop computers, large-screen televisions, and similar devices can experience media content of various types. Similarly, users of cell phones, tablet computers, personal digital assistants, and wearable devices (watches, goggles or glasses, etc.) can carry or wear these devices with them to experience media content in practically any setting. The various forms of media content playable on devices can include video, audio, images, games, text, and combinations of these, which can be output on display screens, audio speakers, and other output components of the devices. In various cases, devices can play the media content from local storage on the device, such as Flash memory, DVDs, etc. In other cases, devices can output media content based on a stream of data received from a server that is connected to the devices over a network such as the Internet.

SUMMARY

Implementations of the present application relate to continuation of playback of media content by different output devices. In some implementations, a method includes causing a stream of media content data to be received by a first device from a stream source and output by the first device to a user, where a portion of the stream of media content data is buffered on the first device before being output. An indication is detected that the user has stopped using the first device for output of the stream of media content data. The method determines a place marker for the media content data indicating a portion of the media content data that is output approximately at the time of the indication. The method causes the stream of media content data to be received and output by a second device, where the output starts at the portion of the stream of media content data indicated by the place marker. The buffered portion of the media content data on the first device is sent from the first device to the second device for output by the second device before output of an unbuffered portion of the stream of media content data received by the second device from the stream source.

Various implementations and examples of the method are described. For example, the stream of media content data can be received by the first device and by the second device over the Internet from one or more servers as the stream source. The buffered portion of the stream of media content data can be sent to the second device over a network local to the first device and the second device. Detecting an indication that the user has stopped using the first device for output can include detecting that the user has physically moved outside a predetermined area of the first device. For example, detecting that the user has physically moved can include using a sound detection system including one or more components on the first device and one or more components on a device on the person of the user, and/or detecting an unpairing of the first device with a device on the person of the user. In more examples, detecting an indication that the user has stopped using the first device for output can include detecting that the user has physically moved into a predetermined area of the second device from a location outside the predetermined area, and/or that the user has performed an action to cause the first device to stop outputting the stream of media content data.

In some implementations, the first device is not located on the person of the user and the second device is a portable device located on the person of the user. In some implementations, the first device and the second device are not located on the person of the user. The method can include causing a notification to be sent to the second device such that the notification is output by the second device and provides a continue option selectable by the user, where the sending of the buffered portion and the output of the stream of media content data by the second device can be performed in response to the user selecting the continue option. The method can include causing the notification to be sent to an intermediary device, e.g., a device on the person of the user, where the notification is output by the intermediary device and provides a continue option selectable by the user, and the output of the stream of media content data by the second device is performed in response to the user selecting the continue option.

The method can further include causing information to be sent to the second device over a network including the place marker and a command to start outputting the media content by the second device continuing from the place indicated by the place marker. The output can be provided on the second device without the user logging into a user account of a media service using the second device and without the user navigating a user interface to select the media content data on the different device.

A method includes, in some implementations, causing a stream of media content data to be received by a first device over a network from a stream source and output by the first device, where a portion of the stream of media content is continually buffered on the first device before being output, and the output media content data is associated with a user using the first device. The method detects that the user has physically moved relative to the first device so as to indicate that the user no longer desires to continue to experience output from the first device. The method determines a place marker for the media content indicating a portion of the media content data that is output approximately at the time of the detection, and causes a notification to be sent to a second device being used by the user, where the notification is output by the second device and provides a continue option selectable by the user. The method causes the buffered portion of the media content to be sent from the first device to the second device over a local network local to the first device and the second device, and causes an unbuffered portion of the stream of media content data that follows the buffered portion to be received by the second device from the stream source over the network. In response to the user selecting the continue option, the method causes output of the stream of media content data by the second device, where the second device starts the output of the media content at the portion of the media content indicated by the place marker, and the buffered portion of the media content data is output by the second device before output of the unbuffered portion of the stream of media content data.

In some implementations, a system can include a storage device and at least one processor accessing the storage device and operative to perform operations. The operations include causing a stream of media content data to be received by a first device from a stream source and output by the first device to a user, where a portion of the stream of media content data is buffered on the first device before being output. An indication is detected that the user has stopped using the first device for output of the stream of media content data. The operations determine a place marker for the media content data indicating a portion of the media content data that is output approximately at the time of the indication. The operations cause the stream of media content data to be received and output by a second device, where the output starts at the portion of the stream of media content data indicated by the place marker. The buffered portion of the media content data on the first device is sent from the first device to the second device for output by the second device before output of an unbuffered portion of the stream of media content data received by the second device from the stream source.

In various implementations of the system, the stream of media content data can be received by the first device and by the second device over the Internet from one or more servers as the stream source, where the buffered portion of the stream of media content data can be sent to the second device over a local network local to the first device and the second device. The operation of detecting an indication that the user no longer desires to experience output from the first device can include detecting that the user has physically moved outside a predetermined area of the first device, and/or detecting that the user has physically moved into a predetermined area of the second device from a location outside the predetermined area of the second device.

In some implementations of the system, the first device is not located on the person of the user and the second device is a portable device located on the person of the user, and the operations further include causing a notification to be sent to the second device, where the notification is output by the second device and provides a continue option selectable by the user, and the sending of the buffered portion of the media content data from the first device to the second device and the output of the stream of media content data by the second device are performed in response to the user selecting the continue option. In some implementations, the first device and the second device are not located on the person of the user, and the operations further include causing a notification to be sent to an intermediary device on the person of the user, where the notification is output by the intermediary device and provides a continue option selectable by the user, and the output of the stream of media content data by the second device is performed in response to the user selecting the continue option.

