In one embodiment, an indication that a decision has been requested, selected, or applied with respect to one or more users may be obtained. After the indication that a decision that has been requested, selected, or applied is obtained, a value function may be updated, where the value function approximates an expected reward associated with the one or more users over time since the decision has been requested, selected, or applied with respect to the one or more users. The value function may be updated by performing or providing one or more updates to the value function, where a time at which each of the one or more updates is performed or provided is independent of activity of the one or more users.
Please help me write a proper abstract based on the patent claims. CLAIM: 1. A computer implemented method, comprising: obtaining an indication that a decision has been requested, selected, or applied with respect to one or more users; and after obtaining the indication, updating a value function, including performing or providing one or more updates to the value function, wherein a time at which each of the one or more updates is performed or provided is independent of activity of the one or more users; wherein the one or more updates to the value function indicate update(s) to one or more weights associated with one or more parameters of the value function, wherein the update(s) to the one or more weights include a modification or replacement value for each of the one or more weights. 2. The computer implemented method of claim 1, wherein the value function indicates or approximates an expected reward associated with the one or more users over time since the decision has been requested, selected, or applied with respect to the one or more users. 3. The computer implemented method of claim 1, wherein the indication that a decision has been requested, selected, or applied with respect to the one or more users indicates that a first decision has been requested, selected, or applied with respect to the one or more users. 4. The computer implemented method of claim 1, wherein a time at which each of the one or more updates is performed or provided is independent of activity of any of a plurality of users. 5. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, wherein performing or providing one or more updates is performed prior to obtaining an indication that a subsequent decision has been requested, selected, or applied with respect to the one or more users. 6. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, wherein performing or providing one or more updates comprises: performing or providing an update to the value function at a predetermined time, or after expiration of a predetermined period of time, after a particular event. 7. The computer-implemented method of claim 6, wherein the particular event comprises selection of an action in response to the indication that a decision has been requested. 8. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, wherein performing or providing the one or more updates comprises: performing or providing a plurality of updates according to a fixed interval. 9. The computer-implemented method of claim 8, wherein performing or providing the one or more updates comprises: scheduling at least a portion of the plurality of updates according to the fixed interval. 10. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, wherein performing or providing the one or more updates comprises: performing or providing a plurality of updates according to a varying interval. 11. The computer-implemented method of claim 10, wherein the varying interval is determined based, at least in part, upon a random component. 12. The computer-implemented method of claim 10, wherein performing or providing the one or more updates comprises: scheduling at least a portion of the plurality of updates. 13. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, wherein the value function is associated with a computing device, and wherein performing or providing the one or more updates comprises: transmitting the one or more updates to one or more other computing devices. 14. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, wherein the value function is associated with a computing device, the method further comprising: receiving a second set of one or more updates pertaining to the value function, the second set of one or more updates comprising modifications to or replacement values for one or more weights associated with one or more parameters of the value function. 15. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, wherein performing or providing one or more updates to the value function is performed based, at least in part, upon one or more time based values. 16. The computer-implemented method of claim 15, wherein the time based values indicate a time since the decision was requested, selected, or applied and/or a time since a prior or last user event pertaining to at least one of the one or more users. 17. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, wherein performing or providing one or more updates to the value function comprises performing or providing one or more updates at time(s) that are determined based, at least in part, upon one or more time based values. 18. The computer-implemented method of claim 17, wherein the time based values indicate a time since the decision was requested, selected, or applied and/or a time since a prior or last user event pertaining to at least one of the one or more users. 19. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, further comprising: generating a schedule for performing or providing the one or more updates based, at least in part, upon one or more time based values. 20. An apparatus, comprising: a processor; and a memory, at least one of the processor or the memory being adapted for: obtaining an indication that a decision has been requested, selected, or applied with respect to one or more users; and after obtaining the indication that a decision that has been requested, selected, or applied, updating a value function, including performing or providing one or more updates to the value function, wherein a time at which each of the one or more updates is performed or provided is independent of activity of the one or more users; wherein the one or more updates to the value function indicate update(s) to one or more weights associated with one or more parameters of the value function, wherein the update(s) to the one or more weights include a modification or replacement value for each of the one or more weights. 21. The apparatus of claim 20, wherein the value function is a time dependent value function. 22. An apparatus, comprising: a processor; and a memory, at least one of the processor or the memory being adapted for: obtaining an indication that a decision has been requested, selected, or applied with respect to one or more users; and after obtaining the indication, updating a time dependent value function, including performing or providing one or more updates to the time dependent value function, wherein the time dependent value function approximates an expected reward and/or a change in expected reward as a function of one or more time based variables, wherein the one or more updates to the time dependent value function indicate update(s) to one or more weights associated with one or more parameters of the time dependent value function, wherein the update(s) to the one or more weights include a modification or replacement value for each of the one or more weights. 23. The apparatus of claim 22, wherein the indication indicates that a decision has been requested with respect to the one or more users, at least one of the processor or the memory being further adapted for performing steps, further comprising: receiving, obtaining, accessing or constructing a user state pertaining to the one or more users; scoring a plurality of actions according to the time dependent value function based, at least in part, upon the user state, wherein the time dependent value function approximates an expected reward and/or a change in expected reward as a function of one or more time based variables; and providing an indication of the decision or applying the decision to the one or more users.