Electronic focal spot alignment of an x-ray tube

An x-ray system, comprising:

• an x-ray tube comprising:
• a cathode including an electron emitter configured to emit an electron beam,
• an anode configured to receive the electron beam and generate x-rays with a central ray from electrons of the electron beam colliding on a focal spot of the anode, and
• a steering magnetic multipole between the cathode and the anode that is configured to produce a steering magnetic field from a steering signal and at least two poles of the steering magnetic multipole are on opposite sides of the electron beam, wherein the steering magnetic field moves the focal spot of the electron beam on the anode;
• and
• a tube control unit (TCU) configured to receive an offset value and convert the offset value to the steering signal, wherein the offset value represents a distance of the central ray from a specified imager location, and the TCU comprises:
• at least one steering driver configured to generate the steering signal;
• wherein the TCU includes:
• steering position calibration data representing current values to generate at least one steering position using the steering magnetic multipole for a tube voltage and tube current combination, wherein the steering signal includes the offset value added to the steering position calibration data.

A tube control unit (TCU) configured to align an x-ray tube to an x-ray imager, comprising:

• at least one steering driver configured to generate a steering signal for at least one steering coil of a steering magnetic multipole for an x-ray tube;
• memory configured to store steering position calibration data representing current values to generate at least one steering position using the steering magnetic multipole for a tube voltage and tube current combination;
• and
• a processor configured to:
• receive an offset value representing a distance of a central ray of the x-ray tube from a specified imager location of an x-ray imager,
• generate a deflection value using the steering position calibration data,
• sum the offset value representing a static position change of the central ray and the deflection value representing a dynamic position change of the central ray, and
• control the at least one steering driver to generate the steering signal for the at least one steering coil based on the sum of the offset value and the deflection value.