A/V System and method supporting a pull data flow scheme

A method of processing video data in an A/V decoder configured to receive input data and decode the input data to generate a decoded output video data stream, the method comprising:

• recovering a system time reference for each of a plurality of data streams based on predefined timing information in the plurality of data streams, the plurality of data streams having different system time references;
• processing, with a data processing module of the A/V decoder, the plurality of input streams using a system clock asynchronous to the system time references, wherein the system clock is independent of the system time references and an input data rate of each data stream;
• pulling, with an output device, a plurality of decoded output video data streams from the data processing module of the A/V decoder via a data request, the data request indicating an output data rate of each of the plurality of decoded output video data streams;
• comparing, with an output rate manager, the output data rate of each decoded output video data stream with the corresponding system time reference;
• generating a rate control signal based on the comparison of the output data rate and the corresponding system time reference;
• adjusting, with the output device, the output data rate of each decoded output video data stream to match the output data rate to the corresponding system time reference using the rate control signal, wherein the output data rate is independent of the system clock;
• and
• individually controlling the output data rate of the plurality of decoded output data streams from the A/V decoder corresponding to the plurality of data streams having the different system time references using the recovered system time references and the single system clock asynchronous to the system time references.

An A/V decoder adapted to process data, comprising:

• a processing device configured to receive a plurality of data streams including predefined timing information pushed into the A/V decoder;
• a recovery module adapted to recover a system time reference for each of the plurality of data streams based on the predefined timing information using a system clock asynchronous to the system time references, wherein the system clock is independent of the system time references and an input data rate of each data stream, the plurality of data streams having different system time references;
• a conversion module adapted to convert each of the plurality of data streams from a push format to a pull format using the system clock;
• an output device configured to output a plurality of decoded data streams according to the pull format and an output data rate of each decoded data stream based on a data request;
• and
• an output rate manager that compares the output data rate of each decoded data stream with the corresponding system time reference and adjusts the output data rate at which to output each decoded data stream to match with the corresponding system time reference, wherein the output rate manager is configured to individually control an output data rate of a plurality of decoded output data streams from the A/V decoder corresponding to the plurality of data streams having the different system time references using the recovered system time references and the single system clock asynchronous to the system time references.