Ignition system and method for operating an ignition system

Abstract

An ignition system and a method for operating an ignition system provides reliable suppression of a closing spark ignition at relatively small expense and to achieve a reliable ignition by the ignition spark. To assure a high energy supply to the spark plug, an ignition system is created having a functional device for receiving a drive signal and for producing a pulse signal, an ignition transistor for receiving the pulse signal, an ignition coil, whose primary winding connections are connected in a primary current circuit that is fed by a vehicle power supply source and that can be switched using the ignition transistor, and whose secondary winding connections are connected in a secondary current circuit for receiving a spark plug. In the secondary current circuit, a component is provided that a) lets through a forward current in its forward direction that may be induced by reducing the magnetic field of the ignition coil, b) blocks in its blocking direction without a previous forward current, and c) over a conducting period, after a previous forward current maintains in its blocking direction a current that is suitable for maintaining an ignition process.

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.