Electronic apparatus

Claim 1

IN AN IGNITION SYSTEM FOR AN INTERNAL COMBUSTION ENGINE, WHICH SYSTEM HAS AN IGNITION COIL FOR SUPPLYING HIGH VOLTAGE FIRING PULSES TO THE INTERNAL COMBUSTION ENGINE AND PULSE MEANS OPERABLE IN SYNCHRONISM WITH THE INTERNAL COMBUSTION ENGINE, A FIRING CIRCUIT FOR PROVIDING INTERMITTENT CURRENT FLOW IN THE IGNITION COIL TO PRODUCE FIRING PULSES THEREIN, INCLUDING IN COMBINATION, CAPACITOR MEANS, CHARGING MEANS COUPLED TO SAID CAPACITOR MEANS FOR APPLYING A VOLTAGE THERETO FOR CHARGING SAID CAPACITOR MEANS, A GATE CONTROLLED SEMICONDUCTOR SWITCH CONNECTED IN SERIES WITH SAID CAPACITOR MEANS AND THE IGNITION COIL, SAID SEMICONDUCTOR SWITCH HAVING A GATE REGION RESPONSIVE TO A PULSE OF A GIVEN POLARITY TO TURN SAID SEMICONDUCTOR SWITCH ON AND RESPONSIVE TO A PULSE OF OPPOSITE POLARITY TO TURN SAID SEMICONDUCTOR SWITCH OFF, MEANS COUPLED TO THE PULSE MEANS TO APPLY PULSES OF THE GIVEN POLARITY TO SAID GATE REGION TO TURN SAID SEMICONDUCTOR SWITCH ON AND DISCHARGE SAID CAPACITOR MEANS THROUGH SAID IGNITION COIL FOR PRODUCING A FIRING PULSE THEREIN, A TRANSFORMER HAVING PRIMARY AND SECONDARY WINDINGS, SAID PRIMARY WINDING BEING CONNECTED IN SERIES BETWEEN SAID SEMICONDUCTOR SWITCH AND A SOURCE OF POTENTIAL, SAID SECONDARY WINDING BEING CONNECTED TO SAID GATE REGION AND BEING RESPONSIVE TO CURRENT FLOW IN SAID PRIMARY WINDING SUBSEQUENT TO DISCHARGE OF SAID CAPACITOR MEANS TO APPLY A PULSE OPPOSITE SAID GIVEN POLARITY TO SAID GATE REGION TO TURN SAID SEMICONDUCTOR SWITCH OFF.