Abstract: Apparatus and methods to control an electron beam of an x-ray tube are provided. One apparatus includes at least one of (i) a first switching unit having a voltage source and a pair of switches connected in series and configured to switch between open and closed positions to change an output voltage to engage or bypass the voltage source or (ii) a second switching unit connected to a voltage source and having a first pair of switches connected in series and a second pair of switches connected in series, wherein the first and second pair of switches are connected in parallel, and wherein the first and second pairs of switches are configured to switch between open and closed position to change an output voltage generated from the voltage source. The first and second switching units are connected in series and a third switching unit provided that is amplitude controllable.

Abstract: A reference signal generator circuit for an analog-to-digital converter, the circuit having a signal-generation stage to generate a first reference signal on a first reference terminal, and a filtering circuit arranged between the generator stage and the analog-to-digital converter to determine a filtering of disturbance present on the first reference signal and supply at output on a second reference terminal a second filtered reference signal, the filtering circuit having a switching circuit to connect the first reference terminal to the second reference terminal directly during startup of the reference signal generator circuit and then through the filtering circuit once the startup step is terminated.

Abstract: An output circuit includes: a power supply unit; an output MIS transistor connected to the power supply unit; a reference MIS transistor that is connected to the power supply unit and is invariably in ON state; a current supply unit for generating a reference voltage Vref; an output terminal through which a current is supplied to a load circuit; a comparator; a logic circuit; and a control circuit for carrying out the ON/OFF control of the output MIS transistor. Comparison is made between the reference voltage Vref and output terminal voltage Vout by utilizing the ON-state resistances of the output and reference MIS transistors, thus detecting the magnitude of an output current. If the output current exceeds the target value, the output MIS transistor is turned OFF, thereby protecting it from an excessive current.

Abstract: A circuit for the generation of a time-stabilized output pulse Iout comprises a capacitor biased by two completely independent voltages whose bias voltages are fixed by a current generator through current mirrors and are therefore very stable.