Method of controlling a field emission device

A method of controlling a field emission device comprising:

• receiving a digital video word;
• dividing the video word into a plurality of digital subwords:
• converting each subword into a control signal thereby forming a plurality of control signals, each control signal having an active time;
• and
• utilizing the plurality of control signals to control a drive signal applied to the field emission device by using an active state and an inactive state of the plurality of control signals to encode the value of the drive signal wherein an active time of the drive signal and a value of the drive signal are responsive to the plurality of control signals.

A method of controlling a field emission device comprising:

• dividing an 8-bit video word into a most significant nibble and a least significant nibble;
• converting the most significant nibble into a first signal having a first active time responsive to a value of the most significant nibble;
• converting the least significant nibble into a second signal having a second active time responsive to a value of the least significant nibble;
• and
• applying the first signal to a first input of a multistate voltage source while applying the second signal to a second input of the multistate voltage source, the multistage voltage source having a voltage output responsive to both the first signal and the second signal.

A method of controlling an electron source comprising;

• receiving a digital control word;
• dividing the control word into a plurality of digital subwords;
• converting each subword into a control signal thereby forming a plurality of control signals, each control signal having an active time;
• and
• utilizing the plurality of control signals to control a drive signal applied to the electron source wherein an active time of the drive signal and a value of the drive signal are responsive to the plurality of control signals.

A method of controlling an electron source comprising:

• receiving a digital control word:
• dividing the control word into a plurality of digital subwords;
• converting each subword into a control signal thereby forming a plurality of control signals, each control signal having an active time:
• and
• utilizing the plurality of control signals to control a drive signal applied to the electron source by using an active and inactive state of the plurality of control signals to encode the value of the drive signal wherein an active time of the drive signal and a value of the drive signal are responsive to the plurality of control signals.