There is TONS of info. Thats the electronic distributor, so to speak. EDIS - Electronic Distributorless Ignition System as Ford calls it. It talks to the computer (PCM a.k.a EEC) and some other items and triggers the coil packs to fire.
But for 97/98, I am pretty sure the PCM manages spark directly. I think that is true for 96 and up with OBD-II. I know when I converted my 96 to COP there was not EDIS module like that.