An apparatus and method for actively managing the current provided to an X-ray filament is provided. A feedback measurement of the actual filament current supplied to an X-ray filament is provided into a current manager and feedback system. An error amplifier compares the feedback measurement to a filament reference command indicating the appropriate current amount to be supplied to the X-ray filament, and the output of the error amplifier runs a pulse width modulator to provide a signal to an inverter to supply a voltage to the X-ray filament transformer. When a comparator senses sufficient high voltage is supplied to the X-ray tube, a second error amplifier is allowed to add to the filament current command an amount sufficient to make the X-ray tube's emission current match the commanded emission current. Additional circuitry and electronic switches are provided to allow the apparatus to operate in a dual-filament system.

Within one imaging period, a processor of a control device supplies a gate voltage, performs control to correct a voltage value of the gate voltage on the basis of a difference between a current value of an estimated anode current, which flows from a power supply voltage generator to an anode unit and is estimated on the basis of a detection value of a cathode current flowing from a cathode unit to a ground and a detection value of a gate current flowing from the power supply voltage generator to a gate electrode, and a target current value of an anode current set for an n-th imaging operation, and performs control to set the voltage value of the gate voltage corresponding to a corrected voltage value of the gate voltage corrected at the end of the n-th imaging operation and a target current value of the anode current set for an (n+1)-th imaging operation as a voltage value of the gate voltage which is supplied to the gate electrode first in the (n+1)-th imaging operation.

The present invention discloses an X-ray machine head and an image device, and relates to the field of X-ray image devices. The X-ray machine head comprises a high-voltage DC power supply unit, a low-voltage DC power supply unit, one or more first switch units, one or more second switch units, a central information processing unit, a housing, one or more filament power supply units, a communication unit, one or more X-ray tubes, and an insulating medium which is contained in the housing. The X-ray machine head is small in volume, which is conducive to portable applications. By directly controlling a gate of a gate-controlled X-ray tube to control the occurrence and termination of X-rays, the imaging quality is high and the radiation damage is small.

There is provided a method of setting a filament demand in an x-ray apparatus. The x-ray apparatus has a filament, through which the passing of a heating current allows thermionic emission of electrons from the filament. The x-ray apparatus has a target, arranged to generate x-rays from the electrons emitted from the filament. The x-ray apparatus has a detector, arranged to detect x-rays generated by the target for forming an x-ray image. The x-ray apparatus has a controller configured to perform a measurement operation of the x-ray apparatus. The measurement measures a parameter of the x-ray apparatus. The controller is configured to set a filament demand for the filament. The filament demand correlates with the current passed through the filament. The method comprises varying the filament demand between a first value corresponding to a lower filament current and a second value corresponding to a higher filament current. The method comprises measuring the parameter at a series of values of the filament demand between the first value and the second value. The method comprises detecting a knee in the measured parameter. The method comprises determining the filament demand corresponding to the detected knee in the parameter. The method comprises setting the filament demand for the x-ray apparatus based on the determined filament demand corresponding to the detected knee in the parameter.

There is provided a method of setting a filament demand in an x-ray apparatus. The x-ray apparatus has a filament, through which the passing of a heating current allows thermionic emission of electrons from the filament. The x-ray apparatus has a target, arranged to generate x-rays from the electrons emitted from the filament. The x-ray apparatus has a detector, arranged to detect x-rays generated by the target for forming an x-ray image. The x-ray apparatus has a controller configured to perform a measurement operation of the x-ray apparatus. The measurement measures a parameter of the x-ray apparatus. The controller is configured to set a filament demand for the filament. The filament demand correlates with the current passed through the filament. The method comprises varying the filament demand between a first value corresponding to a lower filament current and a second value corresponding to a higher filament current. The method comprises measuring the parameter at a series of values of the filament demand between the first value and the second value. The method comprises detecting a knee in the measured parameter. The method comprises determining the filament demand corresponding to the detected knee in the parameter. The method comprises setting the filament demand for the x-ray apparatus based on the determined filament demand corresponding to the detected knee in the parameter.

Systems and methods of adaptively controlling filament current in an x-ray tube of an imaging system include the x-ray tube having a filament being calibrated. Calibration data from the calibration of the x-ray tube is stored at the imaging system, the calibration data including a filament current value that determines a tube current value for a tube voltage value at a plurality of stations. A resistance value of the filament over a period of time is monitored. A change in the resistance value of the filament over the period of time is determined, and the filament current value of at least one of the plurality of stations is adjusted based on the changed resistance value.

A CNT X-ray tube control system according to an embodiment of the present disclosure includes a CNT X-ray tube including an anode electrode, a gate electrode, and a cathode electrode, and configured to generate X-rays from electric field emission; a dummy load including an anode electrode, a gate electrode, and a cathode electrode, and configured not to generate X-rays, the dummy load being connected to the CNT X-ray tube in parallel; a high-voltage part configured to control a voltage applied to the CNT X-ray tube; and a controller configured to control the CNT X-ray tube, the dummy load, and the high-voltage part. Particularly, a portable X-ray generation apparatus reduced in size can be provided, the apparatus including the dummy load having the same structure as a CNT to minimize the voltage variation of the high-voltage part during the ON/OFF operation of the CNT.

Systems and methods for medical imaging. The method may include acquiring a tube voltage switching waveform for a radiation source of a medical device. The method may include determining a tube current switching period based on the tube voltage switching waveform. The method may include determining a sampling period correlated with the tube current switching period. The method may include acquiring projection data according to the sampling period. The method may further include reconstructing an image based on the acquired projection data.

Provided is a miniaturized X-ray tube including an extractor and provides a miniaturized X-ray tube including a filament that emit electrons if a voltage is applied, a base having two filament through-holes for fixing the filament and for connecting power to both electrodes of the filament, a cylindrical extractor in close contact with the base and surrounding the filament without being in contact with the filament, a cutoff voltage providing unit configured to apply a cutoff voltage between one electrode of the extractor and one electrode of the filament, a body that is formed of a ceramic material, surrounds the extractor, and includes one end in close contact with the base, and a target that is connected to the other end of the body, receives the electrons emitted from the filament, and emits X-rays.

Provided is a miniaturized X-ray tube including an extractor and provides a miniaturized X-ray tube including a filament that emit electrons if a voltage is applied, a base having two filament through-holes for fixing the filament and for connecting power to both electrodes of the filament, a cylindrical extractor in close contact with the base and surrounding the filament without being in contact with the filament, a cutoff voltage providing unit configured to apply a cutoff voltage between one electrode of the extractor and one electrode of the filament, a body that is formed of a ceramic material, surrounds the extractor, and includes one end in close contact with the base, and a target that is connected to the other end of the body, receives the electrons emitted from the filament, and emits X-rays.