A gas discharge device, including an interface and addressing means connected to a pair of opposed electrode arrays to energize a plurality of discharge cells, each cell including proximate electrode portions of at least one electrode in each opposed array, the dielectric charge storage member insulating at least one of the proximate electrode portions from the gas. A sustainer voltage source generates an alternating polarity wave form which maintains a discharge sequence in all cells which are in the "on" state. In accordance with the present invention, an enhancement pulser means generates an enhancement voltage pulse which is cyclically superimposed on the sustainer wave form. The enhancement pulse has the same polarity as the sustainer wave form and is generated to coincide with each discharge of the cells in the "on" state to increase the brightness and performance of the gas discharge device.

In a matrix of display elements arranged in rows and columns having row scanning and column selection, all display elements which are connected to a scanned row conductor are always ignited such that the non-selected display elements of that row receive a low quiescent current through quiescent current supply circuits in the column selection circuits and the selected display elements receive a higher display current through selection circuits in the column selection circuits. The low quiescent currents reduce the ignition-voltage required for the next following row to be scanned while a high contrast is produced between the selected and non-selected display elements.

A system for addressing and controlling a gaseous discharge display or memory device is adapted for intercommunication between a processor or controller and a gaseous discharge display device. Signals of write amplitude are selectively applied to ionize individual cells or a plurality of cells in the form of character slices or lines to form the elements of a display. To facilitate communication between low level control logic signals and high level write and sustain signals, one of the axes or sets of conductors is maintained at ground potential, while signals of full write or sustain amplitude are applied to the orthogonal conductors. Writing is generally accomplished by adding a write pulse to the trailing edge of the selected conductor. By maintaining the busier axis at ground potential direct communication between the control logic and drive circuitry is provided, the isolation circuits required to communicate between the busy axis and the controller or processor are eliminated, the separate sustain drivers normally required to sustain the busy axis are eliminated and only a single set of drivers and isolation circuitry is required to interconnect the control logic to the drive selection circuitry. By operating in this mode, the sustain signal is not interrupted during a write operation thereby permitting use of the inherent margin in the panel and providing a display of uniform intensity.

A gas panel can provide optical data readout in an essentially serial manner for copying, communication, interaction and indication. This is accomplished by using substitute sustain cycles for reading particular addresses. A complement sustain signal obtained through the address selection circuitry is superimposed on a partial sustain signal to produce the substitute sustain signal. This provides a complete sustain cycle for the selected address(es) only. Flashes of light at the addressed positions indicate storage of logical "1s" at such addresses.

Erase waveforms effecting improved erase action are provided for a gas panel of the type in which light emitting cells are formed in an ionizable medium at the crossover point of a set of horizontally and vertically extending insulated wires. The erase waveforms include a burst of bipolar pairs of pulses, each pair comprising a low amplitude wide duration erase pulse followed by an opposite polarity narrowed sustain pulse. The burst of pulse pairs being applied during the time frame of a normal sustain operation.