Synchronization of vehicle sensor information

An electronic processing system comprising:

• a memory;
• a data collection unit configured to
• receive sensor data representing information collected by a sensor (i) located on or in a vehicle and (ii) configured to sense an environment external to the vehicle, wherein receiving sensor data includes receiving a first plurality of data points indicative of a plurality of respective states of the environment external to the vehicle at a plurality of respective times,
• receive first operational data (i) generated by a first unit arranged within the vehicle and (ii) indicative of a first operational parameter of the vehicle, wherein receiving first operational data includes receiving a second plurality of data points indicative of a plurality of respective states of the first operational parameter at a plurality of respective times,
• receive external data that (i) was received by the vehicle from a handheld mobile communication device of a pedestrian external to the vehicle via a wireless link and (ii) is indicative of objects sensed by the handheld mobile communication device, wherein receiving external data includes receiving a third plurality of data points indicative of an additional plurality of respective states of the environment external to the vehicle at a plurality of respective times,
• receive synchronization data indicating a temporal relationship between the first plurality of data points, the second plurality of data points, and the third plurality of data points, and
• store the received sensor data, the received first operational data, the received external data, and the received synchronization data in the memory;
• and
• a model generation unit coupled to the data collection unit and configured to generate an animated re-creation of an event involving at least one vehicle using the stored first plurality of data points, the stored second plurality of data points, the stored third plurality of data points, and the stored synchronization data.

A tangible, non-transitory, computer-readable medium storing instructions that, when executed by one or more processors, cause the one or more processors to:

• store sensor data, first operational data, external data, and synchronization data in a memory, wherein
• the sensor data represents information collected by a sensor (i) located on or in a vehicle and (ii) configured to sense an environment external to the vehicle, the sensor data including a first plurality of data points indicative of a plurality of respective states of the environment external to the vehicle at a plurality of respective times,
• the first operational data is data (i) generated by a first unit arranged within the vehicle and (ii) indicative of a first operational parameter of the vehicle, the first operational data including a second plurality of data points indicative of a plurality of respective states of the first operational parameter at a plurality of respective times,
• the external data is data that (i) was received by the vehicle from a handheld mobile communication device of a pedestrian external to the vehicle via a wireless link and (ii) is indicative of objects sensed by the handheld mobile communication device, the external data including a third plurality of data points indicative of an additional plurality of respective states of the environment external to the vehicle at a plurality of respective times, and
• the synchronization data indicates a temporal relationship between the first plurality of data points and the second plurality of data points;
• and
• generate an animated re-creation of an event involving at least one vehicle using the stored first plurality of data points, the stored second plurality of data points, the stored third plurality of data points, and the stored synchronization data.