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A ropeless elevator system, a propulsion system, and a method for operating a ropeless propulsion system are disclosed. The ropeless elevator system may include an elevator car, a hoistway in which the elevator car travels, and a ropeless propulsion system. The ropeless propulsion system may include

A ropeless elevator system, a propulsion system, and a method for operating a ropeless propulsion system are disclosed. The ropeless elevator system may include an elevator car, a hoistway in which the elevator car travels, and a ropeless propulsion system. The ropeless propulsion system may include electrical windings energized by a power source, the electrical windings affixed to a stationary structure, the stationary structure associated with the hoistway, and a magnet, the magnet affixed to a moving structure, the moving structure associated with the elevator car, and interaction between the electrical windings and the magnet generates a thrust force on the elevator car traveling in the hoistway. The ropeless elevator system may further include an array of Hall effect sensors, the array of Hall effect sensors determining a sensed magnetic field, the sensed magnetic field being associated with electrical currents carried by the windings and used to determine a magnetic field orientation of the electrical currents carried by the windings with respect to the magnet.

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1. A ropeless elevator system (20) comprising: an elevator car (24);a hoistway 22 in which the elevator car (24) travels;a ropeless propulsion system (50), the ropeless propulsion system (50) comprising: electrical windings (60) energized by a power source (68), the electrical windings (60) affixed

1. A ropeless elevator system (20) comprising: an elevator car (24);a hoistway 22 in which the elevator car (24) travels;a ropeless propulsion system (50), the ropeless propulsion system (50) comprising: electrical windings (60) energized by a power source (68), the electrical windings (60) affixed to a stationary structure (54), the stationary structure (54) associated with the hoistway (22); anda magnet (58), the magnet (58) affixed to a moving structure (52), the moving structure (52) associated with the elevator car (24), and interaction between the electrical windings (60) and the magnet (58) generates a thrust force on the elevator car (24) traveling in the hoistway (22); andan array of Hall effect sensors (81), the array of Hall effect sensors (81) determining a sensed magnetic field, the sensed magnetic field being associated with electrical currents carried by the windings (60) and used to determine a magnetic field orientation of the electrical currents carried by the windings (60) with respect to the magnet (58). 2. The ropeless elevator system (20) of claim 1, wherein the magnetic field orientation of the electrical currents carried by the windings (60) with respect to the magnet (58) is used to determine if the windings (60) and the magnet (58) are aligned for proper function of the propulsion system (50). 3. The ropeless elevator system (20) of claim 1, wherein the magnetic field orientation of the electrical currents carried by the windings with respect to the magnet (58) is used to perform fault detection operations for the propulsion system (50). 4. The ropeless elevator system (20) of claim 1, wherein the array of Hall effect sensors (81) are disposed on the elevator car (24). 5. The ropeless elevator system (20) of claim 4, wherein at least one member of the array of Hall effect sensors (81) is disposed in close proximity to a top portion of the moving structure (52). 6. The ropeless elevator system (20) of claim 4, wherein at least one member of the array of Hall effect sensors (81) is disposed in close proximity to a bottom portion of the moving structure (52). 7. The ropeless elevator system (20) of claim 1, wherein the magnet (58) comprises a series of permanent magnets. 8. The ropeless elevator system (20) of claim 7, wherein the series of permanent magnets are arranged in a Hallbach array. 9. The ropeless elevator system (20) of claim 1, wherein the windings (60) are arranged in a multi-phase arrangement. 10. A method for operating a ropeless elevator system (20), the ropeless elevator system including an elevator car (24) and a hoistway (22) in which the elevator car (24) travels, the method comprising: generating a thrust force on the elevator car (24) traveling in the hoistway (22), wherein the thrust force is generated by a ropeless propulsion system (50), the ropeless propulsion system (50) comprising: electrical windings (60) energized by a power source (68), the electrical windings (60) affixed to a stationary structure (54), the stationary structure (54) associated with the hoistway (22); anda magnet (58), the magnet (58) affixed to a moving structure (52), the moving structure (52) associated with the elevator car (24) and interaction between the electrical windings (60) and the magnet (58) generates the thrust force;determining a sensed magnetic field, using an array of Hall effect sensors (81), the sensed magnetic field associated with electrical currents carried by the windings (60); anddetermining a magnetic field orientation of the electrical currents carried by the windings (60) with respect to the magnet (58) using the sensed magnetic field associated with the windings (60). 11. The method of claim 10, further comprising determining if the electrical currents carried by the windings (60) and the magnet (58) are aligned for proper function of the propulsion system (50) using the magnetic field orientation of the electrical currents carried by the windings (60) with respect to the magnet (58). 12. The method of claim 10, further comprising performing fault detection operations for the propulsion system (50) using the magnetic field orientation of the electrical currents carried by the windings (60) with respect to the magnet (58). 13. The method of claim 12, further comprising performing an emergency stop operation of the elevator car (24) if a fault is detected, the fault determined by the fault detection operations for the propulsion system (50). 14. The method of claim 10, wherein the array of Hall effect sensors (81) are disposed on the elevator car (24). 15. The method of claim 10, wherein the magnet (58) comprises a series of permanent magnets. 16. The method of claim 15, wherein the series of permanent magnets are arranged in a Hallbach array. 17. The method of claim 10, wherein the windings (60) are arranged in a multi-phase arrangement. 18. The method of claim 10, further comprising determining, using the magnetic field orientation of the windings (60) with respect to the magnet (58), if the magnet (58) is properly aligned with the windings (60) prior to startup operations of the elevator car (24). 19. A propulsion system (50) for a ropeless elevator system (10), the ropeless propulsion system (50) comprising: electrical windings (60) energized by a power source (68), the electrical windings (60) affixed to a stationary structure (54);a magnet (58), the magnet (58) affixed to a moving structure (52), and interaction between the electrical windings (60) and the magnet (58) generates a thrust force; andan array of Hall effect sensors (81), the array of Hall effect sensors (81) determining a sensed magnetic field, the sensed magnetic field being associated with electrical currents carried by the windings (60) and used to determine a magnetic field orientation of the electrical currents carried by the windings (60) with respect to the magnet 58. 20. The propulsion system of claim 19, wherein the magnet is a series of permanent magnets arranged in a Hallbach array.