Patent ID: 7885375

Claim:
A CT imaging system comprising: a solid-state or thermionic X-ray source comprising a plurality of discrete X-ray emission focal spots, wherein the solid-state or thermionic X-ray source is configured as a stationary ring or as a stationary or rotating array of the discrete X-ray emission focal spots; one or more detectors configured to detect X-rays emitted by the plurality of X-ray emission focal spots; an X-ray controller configured to independently operate the plurality of discrete X-ray emission focal spots; a data acquisition system configured to readout signals from the one or more detectors; and a sequence buffer which, when at least the X-ray controller is operated, physically encodes a list of commands controlling the operation of the X-ray controller, wherein the size of the sequence buffer is based at least in part on the length and number of commands physically encoded in the sequence buffer.