Gas-discharge display device driving circuits

A driving circuit arrangement for a gas-discharge display device of the type having a two co-ordinate array of direct current gas-discharge lamps, a set of anode conductors interconnecting the anodes of discharge lamps extending along different values of one co-ordinate of the array and a set of cathode conductors interconnecting the cathodes of the lamps extending along different values of the other co-ordinate of the array, comprising means for applying across all of the discharge lamps a retaining voltage of insufficient magnitude to initiate a discharge in any lamp but of sufficient magnitude to maintain a discharge, primary switching means operable to apply to a conductor extending along one co-ordinate of the array an extinguishing pulse of magnitude and sense to reduce the retaining potential difference across the lamps connected to that conductor below the level required to retain a discharge therein, and compensatory switching means operable simultaneously with the primary switching means to apply a compensatory pulse, equal in magnitude to the extinguishing pulse but of opposite sense, to selected ones of the conductors extending along the other co-ordinate of the array to cause discharges in the lamps connected thereto and common to both conductors to be retained.