Patent ID: 7588021

Claim:
A spark plug ignition circuit for igniting the fuel/air mixture in a combustion chamber of an internal combustion engine, comprising: a battery having a positive terminal and a negative terminal, wherein the negative terminal is operably connected to a vehicle ground; an ignition circuit having a first and second switch terminal, wherein the second switch terminal is operably connected to the vehicle ground; an ignition coil having a primary coil and a secondary coil, wherein the primary coil has a first primary coil end and a second primary coil end, wherein the first primary coil end is operably connected to the first switch terminal of the ignition circuit and the second primary coil end is operably connected to the positive terminal of the battery and the secondary coil has a first secondary coil end and a second secondary coil end, wherein the second secondary coil end is operably connected to the vehicle ground; a spark plug having a center electrode and a ground electrode, wherein the center electrode comprises Iridium and is operably connected to the first secondary coil end, and the ground electrode is operably connected to the vehicle ground, wherein the center electrode and the ground electrode are separated by a gap and the secondary coil provides a first positive voltage at the center electrode with respect to the ground electrode, across the gap; and a voltage source connected to the secondary coil to provide a second positive voltage at the center electrode with respect to the ground electrode, across the gap.