Method for controlling the triggering of ignition in an internal combustion engine

A method for controlling an internal combustion engine having an ignition control device and a plurality of cylinders, each cylinder having an ignition device connected to the ignition control device, the method comprising:

• setting target ignition times for the individual cylinders using an engine control device, wherein trigger signals based on the target ignition times are transmitted from the engine control device to the ignition control device;
• after receiving a trigger signal, the ignition control device activating the ignition device associated with the trigger signal in order to effect an ignition in the respective cylinder;
• wherein the ignition control device checks whether trigger signals for all cylinders are received in each engine cycle;
• and
• when it is detected that a trigger signal for at least one cylinder has not been received by the ignition control device and trigger signals have been received by the ignition control device for at least one other cylinder, a substitutional ignition time for the at least one cylinder for which no trigger signal has been received is calculated as a function of at least two trigger signals of the trigger signals that have been received for the at least one other cylinder, and the respective ignition device associated with the at least one cylinder for which no trigger signal has been received is activated according to the calculated substitutional ignition time.