A low-cost seven-segmented display system

An economical seven-segment display system is described which employs 21 diodes and 7 driving transistors as against 49 diodes and 14 driving transistors in a conventional display. The single driving transistor employed for each segment has to be biased so that it is normally saturated and the lamp is illuminated. To extinguish the lamp, the transistor is held below cut off by providing a suitable excitation.