Patent ID: 7286641

Claim:
An X-ray source, comprising: an X-ray tube for generating X-rays, the spectrum and intensity of which depend on the tube voltage and the tube current; a measuring unit for detecting the X-ray absorption resulting from the activity of the X-ray source; a control system, coupled to the X-ray tube and the measuring unit, to control the tube current, the tube voltage and the exposure duration of the X-ray tube, wherein the control system is set up to perform the following steps: a) To preset predetermined start values for the tube voltage and tube current of the X-ray tube; b) To start the X-ray exposure and detect the resultant X-ray absorption; c) To control the exposure of the image by adjusting the tube current within a predetermined current range and adjusting at least one exposure parameter if the tube current is set to one of the two limit values of the current range, wherein at least one exposure parameter is the exposure duration, which is adjusted within a predetermined time slot, and wherein at least one other exposure parameter is adjusted if the exposure duration is set to one of the limits of the time slot.