Magnetic signature identification system

Abstract

Disclosed herein is a magnetic signature identification system. The system can include a magnetic signature identification device having one or more magnetometers configured to detect magnetic characteristics defined by magnetic elements including dipoles coupled with a target medical device. Logic, when executed by one or more processors, determines a magnetic signature of the target medical device based upon a magnetic field defined by the magnetic characteristics. The system may include multiple medical devices having distinct magnetic signatures stored in memory and the logic may determine an identity of the target medical device by a comparison of the magnetic signature of the target medical device with the distinct magnetic signatures. The magnetic characteristics may be defined by any combination of all or any subset of the number, length, spacing, or orientation of the dipoles. The magnetic signature identification system may be coupled with a device tracking system and/or other medical system.