Ignition device for an internal combustion engine and method for its operation

An ignition device for a motor unit with an internal combustion engine provided with a piston, a combustion chamber with a spark plug, a crankshaft driven by the piston, an intake port supplying combustion air to the combustion chamber, an exhaust for removing combustion gases from the combustion chamber, a signal generator driven by the crankshaft and emitting for one crankshaft revolution an alternating voltage signal, has an ignition unit that triggers a spark at the spark plug at a preselectable timing. The ignition unit is a module separate from the motor unit. An alternating voltage signal generated by the signal generator is supplied to the ignition unit as an information signal sufficient for operating the internal combustion engine. The alternating voltage signal is supplied to a first unit for energy processing and to a second unit for processing information for control of the internal combustion engine.