System Modeling

&
Control

Presented by

Prof. Amit Kumar Sahoo

CUTM, BBSR
 Signal Flow Graph
Introduction
• Alternative method to block diagram representation, developed by
Samuel Jefferson Mason.

Lesson - 10 • Advantage: the availability of a flow graph gain formula, also called
Mason’s gain formula.

• A signal-flow graph consists of a network in which nodes are connected

by directed branches.

• It depicts the flow of signals from one point of a system to another and
gives the relationships among the signals.

2
Fundamentals of Signal Flow
Graphs
• Consider a simple equation below and draw its signal flow graph:

y  ax
• The signal flow graph of the equation is shown below;

a y
x
• Every variable in a signal flow graph is designed by a Node.
• Every transmission function in a signal flow graph is designed by a Branch.
• Branches are always unidirectional.
• The arrow in the branch denotes the direction of the signal flow.
Signal-Flow Graph Models

Y1( s ) G11( s )  R1( s )  G12( s )  R2( s )

Y2( s ) G21( s )  R1( s )  G22( s )  R2( s )

 Signal-Flow Graph Models
r1 and r2 are inputs and x1 and x2 are outputs

a11 x1  a12 x2  r1 x1

a21 x1  a22 x2  r2 x2
 Signal-Flow Graph Models

xo is input and x4 is output

x1  ax0  bx1  cx2 f

c
x2  dx1  ex3 x0 x1 x2 g x3 x4
a d h
x3  fx0  gx2
x4  hx 3 b e
 Construct the signal flow graph for the following set of
simultaneous equations.

• There are four variables in the equations (i.e., x1,x2,x3,and x4) therefore four nodes are
required to construct the signal flow graph.
• Arrange these four nodes from left to right and connect them with the associated
branches.

• Another way to arrange this

graph is shown in the figure.
 Terminologies
• An input node or source contain only the outgoing branches. i.e., X1
• An output node or sink contain only the incoming branches. i.e., X4
• A path is a continuous, unidirectional succession of branches along which no node is passed more
than ones. i.e.,

X1 to X2 to X3 to X4 X1 to X2 to X4 X2 to X3 to X4
• A forward path is a path from the input node to the output node. i.e.,
X1 to X2 to X3 to X4 , and X1 to X2 to X4 , are forward paths.
• A feedback path or feedback loop is a path which originates and terminates on the same node. i.e.;

X2 to X3 and back to X2 is a feedback path.

 Terminologies
• A self-loop is a feedback loop consisting of a single branch. i.e.; A33 is a self loop.
• The gain of a branch is the transmission function of that branch.
• The path gain is the product of branch gains encountered in traversing a path. i.e. the gain of forwards
path X1 to X2 to X3 to X4 is A21A32A43
• The loop gain is the product of the branch gains of the loop. i.e., the loop gain of the feedback loop
from X2 to X3 and back to X2 is A32A23.

• Two loops, paths, or loop and a path are said to be non-touching if they have no nodes in common.
Consider the signal flow graph below and identify the
following

a) Input node.
b) Output node.
c) Forward paths.
d) Feedback paths (loops).
e) Determine the loop gains of the feedback loops.
f) Determine the path gains of the forward paths.
g) Non-touching loops
Consider the signal flow graph below and identify the
following

• There are two forward path gains;

Consider the signal flow graph below and identify the
following

• There are four loops

 Consider the signal flow graph below and identify the
following

• Nontouching loop gains;

 Consider the signal flow graph below and identify the
following

a) Input node.
b) Output node.
c) Forward paths.
d) Feedback paths.
e) Self loop.
f) Determine the loop gains of the feedback loops.
g) Determine the path gains of the forward paths.
 Input and output Nodes

a) Input node

b) Output node
(c) Forward Paths
(d) Feedback Paths or Loops
(d) Feedback Paths or Loops
(d) Feedback Paths or Loops
(d) Feedback Paths or Loops
(e) Self Loop(s)
(f) Loop Gains of the Feedback Loops
(g) Path Gains of the Forward Paths
 Mason’s Rule (Mason, 1953)
• The block diagram reduction technique requires successive application of
fundamental relationships in order to arrive at the system transfer function.
Lesson - 11 • On the other hand, Mason’s rule for reducing a signal-flow graph to a single
transfer function requires the application of one formula.
• The formula was derived by S. J. Mason when he related the signal-flow
graph to the simultaneous equations that can be written from the graph.
 Mason’s Rule:
• The transfer function, C(s)/R(s), of a system
represented by a signal-flow graph is;
n
 Pi  i
C( s ) i 1

R( s ) 
Where

n = number of forward paths.

Pi = the i th forward-path gain.
∆ = Determinant of the system
∆i = Determinant of the ith forward path

• ∆ is called the signal flow graph determinant or

characteristic function. Since ∆=0 is the system
characteristic equation.
 Mason’s Rule:
n
 Pi  i
C( s ) i 1

R( s ) 
∆ = 1- (sum of all individual loop gains) + (sum of the products of the
gains of all possible two loops that do not touch each other) –
(sum of the products of the gains of all possible three loops that do
not touch each other) + … and so forth with sums of higher
number of non-touching loop gains

∆i = value of Δ for the part of the block diagram that does not touch
the i-th forward path (Δi = 1 if there are no non-touching loops to
the i-th path.)
 Systematic approach

1. Calculate forward path gain Pi for each forward path i.

2. Calculate all loop transfer functions
3. Consider non-touching loops 2 at a time
4. Consider non-touching loops 3 at a time
5. etc
6. Calculate Δ from steps 2,3,4 and 5
7. Calculate Δi as portion of Δ not touching forward path i

27
Example#1: Apply Mason’s Rule to calculate the transfer function
of the system represented by following Signal Flow Graph

Therefore, C P11  P2  2

R 
There are three feedback loops

L1  G1G4 H 1 , L2  G1G2 G4 H 2 , L3  G1G3G4 H 2

 Example#1: Apply Mason’s Rule to calculate the transfer function
of the system represented by following Signal Flow Graph

There are no non-touching loops, therefore

∆ = 1- (sum of all individual loop gains)

  1  L1  L2  L3 

  1  G1G4 H1  G1G2 G4 H 2  G1G3G4 H 2 

 Example#1: Apply Mason’s Rule to calculate the transfer function
of the system represented by following Signal Flow Graph

Eliminate forward path-1

∆1 = 1- (sum of all individual loop gains)+...

∆1 = 1

Eliminate forward path-2

∆2 = 1- (sum of all individual loop gains)+...

∆2 = 1
Example#1: Continue
 Example#2

Find the transfer function, C(s)/R(s), for the signal-flow

graph in figure below.
 Example#2
There is only one forward Path.

P1  G1( s )G2 ( s )G3 ( s )G4 ( s )G5 ( s )

 Example#2
There are four feedback loops.
 Example#2
Non-touching loops taken two at a time.
 Example#2
Non-touching loops taken three at a time.
 Example#2

Eliminate forward path-1

 Example#3: Apply Mason’s Rule to calculate the transfer
function of the system represented by following Signal Flow
Graph

There are three forward paths, therefore n=3.

3
 Pi  i
C( s ) i 1 P11  P2  2  P3  3
 
R( s )  
 Example#3: Forward Paths

P3  A42 A54 A65 A76

P1  A32 A43 A54 A65 A76 P2  A72

 Example#3: Loop Gains of the Feedback Loops

L1  A32 A23
L5  A76 A67
L2  A43 A34 L9  A72 A57 A45 A34 A23
L6  A77
L3  A54 A45 L10  A72 A67 A56 A45 A34 A23
L7  A42 A34 A23
L4  A65 A56
L8  A65 A76 A67
 Example#3: two non-touching loops

L1 L3 L2 L4 L3 L5 L4 L6 L5 L7 L7 L8
L2 L5 L3 L6 L4 L7
L1 L4
L1 L5 L2 L6

L1 L6 L2 L8

L1 L8
 Example#3: Three non-touching loops

L1 L3 L2 L4 L3 L5 L4 L6 L5 L7 L7 L8
L2 L5 L3 L6 L4 L7
L1 L4
L1 L5 L2 L6

L1 L6 L2 L8

L1 L8
 From Block Diagram to Signal-Flow Graph Models
Example#5

H1

R(s) E(s) X1 － X3 C(s)

G1 G2 G3 G4
－ X2
－
H2

H3

－H1
R(s) 1 E(s) G1 X1 G2 X2 G3 X3 G4 C(s)

－H2
－H3
 From Block Diagram to Signal-Flow Graph Models
Example#5
－H1
R(s) 1 E(s) G1 X1 G2 X2 G3 G4 X3 1 C(s)

－H2

－H3

  1  (G1G2G3G4 H 3  G2G3 H 2  G3G4 H 1 )

P1  G1G2G3G4 ; 1  1

C ( s) G1G2G3G4
G 
R( s ) 1  G1G2G3G4 H 3  G2G3 H 2  G3G4 H 1
 Example#6
－
－ X1 Y1
G1
R(s) + + C(s)
E(s)
－ －X +
2
G2
－ Y2

-1
X1 G1 Y1
-1
-1 1
R(s) 1 E(s) C(s)
1 1 1
X2 G2 Y2

-1
-1
 Example#6
-1
X1 G1 Y1
-1 1
R(s) 1 E(s) -1 C(s)
1 X2 1 Y2 1
G2

-1 -1

7 loops:

3 ‘2 non-touching loops’ :
 Example#6
-1
X1 G1 Y1
-1 1
R(s) 1 E(s) -1 C(s)
1 X2 1 Y2 1
G2

-1 -1

Then: Δ  1  2G2  4G1G2

4 forward paths:
p1  (  1)  G1  1 Δ1  1  G2
p2  (  1)  G1  (  1)  G2  1 Δ2  1
p3  1  G 2  1 Δ3  1  G1
p4  1  G2  1  G1  1 Δ4  1
 Example#6
We have

C( s )  pk k

R( s ) 
G  G1  2G1G2
 2
1  2G2  4G1G2
 Example-7: Determine the transfer function C/R for the block diagram
below by signal flow graph techniques.

• The signal flow graph of the above block diagram is shown below.

• There are two forward paths. The path gains are

• The three feedback loop gains are

• No loops are non-touching, hence

• Because the loops touch the nodes of P1, • Hence the control ratio T = C/R is
hence

• Since no loops touch the nodes of P2,

therefore
 Example-6: Find the control ratio C/R for the system given below.

• The signal flow graph is shown in the figure.

• The two forward path gains are

• The five feedback loop gains are

• There are no non-touching loops, hence

• All feedback loops touches the two forward

paths, hence

• Hence the control ratio T =

Feedback characteristics of control system