A system that incorporates teachings of the present disclosure may include, for example, a processing system that analyses, without user intervention, content of a first message directed from equipment of a sending user to equipment of a receiving user, to identify a task. The processing system determines that the receiving user is unable to perform the task according to biometric data of the receiving user. The biometric data is selected from one of heart rate, blood pressure, respiratory rate, and combinations thereof. According to the content of the first message and the biometric data obtained from the receiving user, the processing system determines that the task should be delegated to another user, and responsive thereto, provides a second message associated with the task to equipment of the other user. Other embodiments are disclosed.

A method for end-to-end request scheduling for a distributed system comprising a plurality of hosts via which one or more requests are transmitted. The method comprises: receiving the one or more requests; assigning global scheduling information to each of the one or more requests; transmitting, for each of the one or more requests, respectively assigned global scheduling information with the request, such that respective global scheduling information is made available to a local scheduling unit corresponding to a host via which each of the plurality of requests is transmitted; and determining, for each of one or more one or more requests received at each of the plurality of hosts, an order in which at least one of: a computation operation, a communication operation, and an input/output operation associated with the request is performed, based on the global scheduling information assigned to the respective request.

A method for end-to-end request scheduling for a distributed system comprising a plurality of hosts via which one or more requests are transmitted. The method comprises: receiving the one or more requests; assigning global scheduling information to each of the one or more requests; transmitting, for each of the one or more requests, respectively assigned global scheduling information with the request, such that respective global scheduling information is made available to a local scheduling unit corresponding to a host via which each of the plurality of requests is transmitted; and determining, for each of one or more one or more requests received at each of the plurality of hosts, an order in which at least one of: a computation operation, a communication operation, and an input/output operation associated with the request is performed, based on the global scheduling information assigned to the respective request.

A content obtaining method includes: obtaining user behavioral data corresponding to the user terminal and to-be-displayed content on the user terminal; determining an exposure probability of the to-be-displayed content based on the user behavioral data; sending the exposure probability to the content server; and receiving target content fed back by the content server, where the target content is based on the exposure probability, and the target content is triggered by the content server after the content server receives a content obtaining request from the user terminal.

A content obtaining method includes: obtaining user behavioral data corresponding to the user terminal and to-be-displayed content on the user terminal; determining an exposure probability of the to-be-displayed content based on the user behavioral data; sending the exposure probability to the content server; and receiving target content fed back by the content server, where the target content is based on the exposure probability, and the target content is triggered by the content server after the content server receives a content obtaining request from the user terminal.

A network system can communicate with user and provider devices to facilitate the provision of a network-based service. The network system can identify optimal service providers to provide services requested by users. The network can utilize context data in matching service providers with users. In particular, the network system can determine, based on context data associated with a user, whether to perform pre-request matching for that user. A service provider who is pre-request matched with the user can be directed by the network system to relocate via a pre-request relocation direction. When the user submits the service request after the pre-request match, the network system can either automatically transmit an invitation to the pre-request matched service provider or can perform post-request matching to identify an optimal service provider for the user.

A network system can communicate with user and provider devices to facilitate the provision of a network-based service. The network system can identify optimal service providers to provide services requested by users. The network can utilize context data in matching service providers with users. In particular, the network system can determine, based on context data associated with a user, whether to perform pre-request matching for that user. A service provider who is pre-request matched with the user can be directed by the network system to relocate via a pre-request relocation direction. When the user submits the service request after the pre-request match, the network system can either automatically transmit an invitation to the pre-request matched service provider or can perform post-request matching to identify an optimal service provider for the user.

A system that provides for the accessing and playing of media files having differing associated rights such as non-DRM media files, purchased and downloaded media files, subscription download files such as tethered downloads, and subscription streamed DRM files. The system also provides a method and user interface for sharing a media collection among computing devices in communication via a network. The system allows access and playback, from each computing device on a network, of all media files in a media collection, regardless of their associated rights.

A system that provides for the accessing and playing of media files having differing associated rights such as non-DRM media files, purchased and downloaded media files, subscription download files such as tethered downloads, and subscription streamed DRM files. The system also provides a method and user interface for sharing a media collection among computing devices in communication via a network. The system allows access and playback, from each computing device on a network, of all media files in a media collection, regardless of their associated rights.

A device and a method for controlling an update of a vehicle are configured to control an over-the-air (OTA) update of the vehicle. The device is disposed in the vehicle performing the OTA update to obtain information on a state of charge of a battery of the vehicle, transmit information on the OTA update to an update target device, and adjust a transmission time interval between data of the information on the OTA update transmitted to the update target device. The present disclosure can prevent a situation in which starting of the vehicle is impossible because of a lack of a capacity of the battery after performing the OTA update.