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 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 second 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 and the second plurality of data points, and
• store the received sensor 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, 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, 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 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 second 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, and the stored synchronization data.