:Signal flow graphs

Figure 2.40

Each node represents a system variable, and each branch connected between two
.nodes acts as a signal multiplier

Signal flows only in one direction indicated by the arrow. The multiplication factor
.indicated along the branch

.Node: acts like a summing point representing a signal

.Transmittance: real or complex gain between two nodes

.Branch: directed line segment joining two nodes

.Input node (source): only outgoing branches

.Output node (sink): only incoming branches

.Mixed node: both incoming and outgoing branches

.Path: traversal of connected branches in the direction of arrows

.Loop: closed path

.Loop gain: product of branch transmittance at a loop

.Non touching loops: they do not posses any common nodes

12
Basic Elements of Signal Flow Graph

Nodes and branches are the basic elements of signal flow graph.

Node

Node is a point which represents either a variable or a signal. There are three types
of nodes — input node, output node and mixed node.
 Input Node − It is a node, which has only outgoing branches.
 Output Node − It is a node, which has only incoming branches.
 Mixed Node − It is a node, which has both incoming and outgoing branches.

Example

Let us consider the following signal flow graph to identify these nodes.

 The nodes present in this signal flow graph are y1, y2, y3 and y4.
 y1 and y4 are the input node and output node respectively.
 y2 and y3 are mixed nodes.

Forward paths: paths from an input to an output node that does not cross any nodes
.more than once

.Forward path gain: product of transmittances of a forward path

Signal flow graphs are drawn from a set of linear algebraic equations. The variables
.are the nodes and the coefficients are the transmittance

Branch

Branch is a line segment which joins two nodes. It has both gain and direction. For
example, there are four branches in the above signal flow graph. These branches
have gains of a, b, c and -d.

13
Construction of Signal Flow Graph

Let us construct a signal flow graph by considering the following algebraic equations
−
y2=a12y1+a42y4
y3=a23y2+a53y5
y4=a34y3
y5=a45y4+a35y3
y6=a56y5
There will be six nodes (y1, y2, y3, y4, y5 and y6) and eight branches in this signal
flow graph. The gains of the branches are a12, a23, a34, a45, a56, a42, a53 and a35.
To get the overall signal flow graph, draw the signal flow graph for each equation,
then combine all these signal flow graphs and then follow the steps given below −
Step 1 − Signal flow graph for y2=a13y1+a42y4y2=a13y1+a42y4 is shown in the
following figure.

Step 2 − Signal flow graph for y3=a23y2+a53y5 is shown in the following figure.

Step 3 − Signal flow graph for y4=a34y3 is shown in the following figure.

Step 4 − Signal flow graph for y5=a45y4+a35y3 is shown in the following figure.

14
Step 5 − Signal flow graph for y6=a56y5 is shown in the following figure.

Step 6 − Signal flow graph of overall system is shown in the following figure.

Example 2

:Consider a system defined by

In Matrix Form

From the above we know that the nodes are . Input variables are and
transmittance . Taking first then and finally from
equations 1,2 and 3 then drawing the signal flow graphs first individually then
combine them as follows.

15
 Figure 2.46

Combination of All three equations

Figure 2.47

Conversion of Block Diagrams into Signal Flow Graphs

16
Steps for converting a block diagram into its equivalent signal flow graph.
 Represent all the signals, variables, summing points and take-off points of
block diagram as nodes in signal flow graph.
 Represent the blocks of the block diagram as branches in signal flow graph.
 Represent the transfer functions inside the blocks of block diagram
as gains of the branches in signal flow graph.
 Connect the nodes as per the block diagram. If there is connection between
two nodes (but there is no block in between), then represent the gain of the
branch as one. For example, between summing points, between summing
point and takeoff point, between input and summing point, between take-off
point and output.

Example

Let us convert the following block diagram into its equivalent signal flow graph.

Represent the input signal R(s) and output signal C(s) of block diagram as input
node R(s) and output node C(s) of signal flow graph.
Just for reference, the remaining nodes (y1 to y9) are labelled in the block diagram.
There are nine nodes other than input and output nodes. That is four nodes for four
summing points, four nodes for four take-off points and one node for the variable
between blocks G1 and G2.
The following figure shows the equivalent signal flow graph.

17
With the help of Mason’s gain formula, you can calculate the transfer function of this
signal flow graph. This is the advantage of signal flow graphs. Here, we do not need
to simplify (reduce) the signal flow graphs for calculating the transfer function.

Example 2
Convert the following block diagram to signal flow

Figure

18
:Signal flow graph algebra

Figure 2.41

parallel signal flow )3

Figure 2.42

19
)4

Figure 2.43

This is elimination of mixed nodes (X3 was eliminated)

)5

Figure 2.44

20
Alternatively

Figure 2.45

21
Figure 2.48

22
 Figure 2.49

Looking at the above we have the following forward path from input to output is as
:follows

Paths

P1 = G1G2G3G4G5
P2 = G6G4G5
: Loops

L1 = -G2H1
L2 = -G4H2

None Touching loops

L1 does not touch L2 (The are no common nodes) For L1 passes through nodes (2,3)
While L2 passes through (4,5) Therefore we multiply L1by L2 given

L1L2=(-G2H1)( -G4H2)

:Masons gain formula

The gain formula is often used to relate the output variable Y(s) to the input variable
C(s) ; i.e it is used to derive the T.F of the system . masons gain formula is given as
follows :

23
Where is the path gain transmittance which equals the continuous succession of
branches that are traversed in the direction of the arrows and with no node
. encountered more than once per traversal

For This example, we have two paths and two loops therefore

. Δ : determinant of the graph

. Cofactor of the path :

Δ = 1 – ( sum of all different loop gains ) + ( sum of the gain products of all
combinations of two non touching loops ) – ( sum of the gain products of all
. combinations of three non touching loops )

: Taking our previous example

Δ = 1 – (L1 + L2) + L1L2

G2H1 + G4H2 +G2G4H1H2 + 1 =
Now taking into consideration the cofactor. Since we have two paths we are going
to have to cofactors . The cofactor of the determinant along path 1
is evaluated by putting the loops that touch path 1 equal to zero therefore we
have

Δ = 1 – (L1+L2) + L1L2

Now all loops touch path 1 therefore

)L1=L2=0 (
and hence

L1L2 = 1 (As all the loops ==0) + )L1+L2( - 1 =

Now considering path 2 ;loop L2 touches path 2 (L2=0)

L1L2+ )L1+L2( – 1 =
L1 = 1 + G2H1 – 1 =

Therefore

24
Example (2.9)

A two path signal-flow graph is shown in the figure below . An example of a control
system with multiple signal paths is a multilegged robot . the paths connecting the
input R(S) and output Y(s) are :

Figure 2.50

Paths

: Loops

: Loops and do not touch and ; Therefore the determinant is

Δ = 1 – (L1+L2+L3+L4) + (L1L3+L1L4+L2L3+L2L4)

25
Similarly ,the cofactor for path 1 is the determinant along path 1 is evaluated by
: removing the loops that touch path1 from Δ ;therefore we have

L 1= L2 =0 (They touch p1) Δ1 = 1 – (L3+L4)

: Similarly, they cofactor for path2 is

Δ 2= 1 – (L1+L2)
Therefore

26