AsyncTaskLoader is an abstract Loader that provides an AsyncTask to do the work.

Here some basic implementation:

final class BasicLoader extends AsyncTaskLoader<String> {

    public BasicLoader(Context context) {
        super(context);
    }

    @Override
    public String loadInBackground() {
        // Some work, e.g. load something from internet
        return "OK";
    }

    @Override
    public void deliverResult(String data) {
        if (isStarted()) {
            // Deliver result if loader is currently started
            super.deliverResult(data);
        }
    }

    @Override
    protected void onStartLoading() {
        // Start loading
        forceLoad();
    }

    @Override
    protected void onStopLoading() {
        cancelLoad();
    }

    @Override
    protected void onReset() {
        super.onReset();

        // Ensure the loader is stopped
        onStopLoading();
    }
}

Typically Loader is initialized within the activity's onCreate() method, or within the fragment's onActivityCreated(). Also usually activity or fragment implements LoaderManager.LoaderCallbacks interface:

public class MainActivity extends Activity implements LoaderManager.LoaderCallbacks<String> {

    // Unique id for loader
    private static final int LDR_BASIC_ID = 1;

    @Override
    protected void onCreate(Bundle savedInstanceState) {
        super.onCreate(savedInstanceState);
        setContentView(R.layout.activity_main);

        // Initialize loader; Some data can be passed as second param instead of Bundle.Empty
        getLoaderManager().initLoader(LDR_BASIC_ID, Bundle.EMPTY, this);
    }

    @Override
    public Loader<String> onCreateLoader(int id, Bundle args) {
        return new BasicLoader(this);
    }

    @Override
    public void onLoadFinished(Loader<String> loader, String data) {
        Toast.makeText(this, data, Toast.LENGTH_LONG).show();
    }

    @Override
    public void onLoaderReset(Loader<String> loader) {
    }
}

In this example, when loader completed, toast with result will be shown.

It's a good practice to cache loaded result to avoid multiple loading of same data.
To invalidate cache onContentChanged() should be called. If loader has been already started, forceLoad() will be called, otherwise (if loader in stopped state) loader will be able to understand content change with takeContentChanged() check.

Remark: onContentChanged() must be called from the process's main thread.

Javadocs says about takeContentChanged():

Take the current flag indicating whether the loader's content had changed while it was stopped. If it had, true is returned and the flag is cleared.

public abstract class BaseLoader<T> extends AsyncTaskLoader<T> {

    // Cached result saved here
    private final AtomicReference<T> cache = new AtomicReference<>();

    public BaseLoader(@NonNull final Context context) {
        super(context);
    }

    @Override
    public final void deliverResult(final T data) {
        if (!isReset()) {
            // Save loaded result
            cache.set(data);
            if (isStarted()) {
                super.deliverResult(data);
            }
        }
    }

    @Override
    protected final void onStartLoading() {            
        // Register observers
        registerObserver();

        final T cached = cache.get();    
        // Start new loading if content changed in background
        // or if we never loaded any data
        if (takeContentChanged() || cached == null) {
            forceLoad();
        } else {
            deliverResult(cached);
        }
    }

    @Override
    public final void onStopLoading() {
        cancelLoad();
    }

    @Override
    protected final void onReset() {
        super.onReset();
        onStopLoading();
        // Clear cache and remove observers
        cache.set(null);
        unregisterObserver();
    }

    /* virtual */
    protected void registerObserver() {
        // Register observers here, call onContentChanged() to invalidate cache
    }

    /* virtual */
    protected void unregisterObserver() {
        // Remove observers
    }
}

To invalidate your old data and restart existing loader you can use restartLoader() method:

private void reload() {
    getLoaderManager().reastartLoader(LOADER_ID, Bundle.EMPTY, this);
}

You can pass parameters by Bundle:

Bundle myBundle = new Bundle();
myBundle.putString(MY_KEY, myValue);

Get the value in onCreateLoader:

@Override
public Loader<String> onCreateLoader(int id, final Bundle args) {
    final String myParam = args.getString(MY_KEY);
    ...
}