Elevator entry and exit system and method with exterior sensors

A method of operating an elevator door of an elevator car, the elevator car configured to travel between and stop on a plurality of floors, the elevator door capable of opening and closing along a pathway, wherein the method comprises:

• receiving an instruction to close the elevator door;
• detecting a proximate obstruction based on determining that the elevator car is substantially stopped and located on a floor of the plurality of floors and, by a supplemental obstruction sensor, detecting an obstruction on the floor external to both the elevator car and the elevator door;
• and
• at least one of modifying or overriding the instruction based on detecting the proximate obstruction.

A method of operating an elevator door of an elevator car, the elevator car configured to travel between and stop on a plurality of floors, the elevator door capable of opening and closing along a pathway, wherein each of the plurality of floors has an external portion adjacent to the pathway and external to both the elevator car and the elevator door, wherein the method comprises:

• receiving an instruction to close the elevator door;
• determining whether a first obstruction sensor has detected a first obstruction;
• determining whether both a supplemental obstruction sensor has detected a second obstruction on a floor of the plurality of floors and the elevator car is substantially stopped at the floor;
• and
• preventing or modifying a closing of the elevator door based on at least one of:
• determining that the first obstruction sensor has detected the first obstruction, and determining that the supplemental obstruction sensor has detected the second obstruction on the floor and the elevator car is substantially stopped on the floor.