Corona ignition system for an internal combustion engine

A corona ignition system for igniting fuel in a combustion chamber of an internal combustion engine, comprising:

• a resonant circuit, which comprises an ignition electrode;
• a high frequency generator, which is connected to the resonant circuit and configured to generate an AC voltage for exciting the resonant circuit;
• a direct current voltage source configured to generate an input voltage for the high frequency generator;
• and
• a capacitor that is connected to the high frequency generator in parallel to the direct current voltage source, wherein, during a corona discharge event:
• (a) during transient oscillation of the resonant circuit when the high frequency generator is first activated the capacitor is being charged whereby less than the full voltage provided by the direct current voltage source is applied to the high frequency generator;
• (b) after charging the capacitor, the full voltage provided by the direct current voltage source is applied to the high frequency generator with the resonant circuit in a steady state;
• and
• (c) after separating the direct current voltage source from the high frequency generator, the capacitor is discharged and the corona discharge is extinguished.