2.2.

4 Signal-Flow Graphs, Block Diagrams

and Mason’s Rule
Introduction
 Complicated/complex systems are often represented by the interconnections
of many subsystems.

 Single transfer function is required to obtain transient response information

about the entire system.
28
2.2.4a Block diagrams

Components of a block diagram for a LTI system

29
Cascaded Form

30
Parallel Form

Note that parallel form are from

the same input signal/node!

31
Feedback Form

Equivalent to Note that

𝐺 𝑠 = 𝐺1 𝑠 𝐺2 𝑠 𝐺3 𝑠

𝐻1 𝑠 𝐻2 𝑠
𝐻 𝑠 =
𝐺1 𝑠

32
 Moving block to the left past a summing junction

𝐶 𝑠 = 𝐺 𝑠 𝑅(𝑠) ∓ 𝑋(𝑠)
= 𝐺 𝑠 𝑅 𝑠 ∓ 𝐺 𝑠 𝑋(𝑠)

Moving block to the right past a summing junction

𝑋(𝑠)
𝐶 𝑠 =𝐺 𝑠 𝑅 𝑠 ∓𝑋 𝑠 = 𝐺(𝑠) 𝑅(𝑠) ∓ ൘𝐺(𝑠)
33
Moving block to the left past a pick off point

Moving block to the right past a pick off point

34
Example 5
Simplify the block diagram in Figure 7 using block reduction method.

Figure 7

35
2.2.4b Signal-Flow Graphs (SFG)
 SFG consists only branches, which represent systems and nodes, which
represent signals.

System Signal Interconnection of

systems and signals 36
Block diagrams Signal-flow graphs

Cascaded system

Parallel system

Feedback system
37
2.2.4c Mason’s Rule
 A technique to reduce the SFG to a single transfer function with
application of one formula i.e. Mason’s rule.
Term Definition
Loop gain The product of branch gains found along a path that starts at the node and end
at the same node, following the direction of the signal flow, without passing
through any other nodes more than once.
Forward-path The product of branch gains found along a path from the input node to the
gain output node of the SFG in the direction of the signal flow.
Nontouching Loops that do not have any nodes in common.
loops
Nontouching- The product of loop gains from nontouching-loops taken two, three, four or
loop gain more at a time.

38
Example 6

Loop gain The product of branch gains found along a path that starts at the node and
end at the same node, following the direction of the signal flow, without
passing through any other nodes more than once.

For this SFG, there are four loop gains:

a) 𝐿1 = 𝐺2 (𝑠)𝐻1 (𝑠)
b) 𝐿2 = 𝐺4 (𝑠)𝐻2 (𝑠)
c) 𝐿3 = 𝐺4 (𝑠)𝐺5 (𝑠)𝐻3 (𝑠)
d) 𝐿4 = 𝐺4 (𝑠)𝐺6 (𝑠)𝐻3 (𝑠) 39
Example 6

Forward-path The product of branch gains found along a path from the input node to the
gain output node of the SFG in the direction of the signal flow.

For this SFG, there are two forward-path gains:

a) 𝑇1 = 𝐺1 (𝑠)𝐺2 (𝑠)𝐺3 (𝑠)𝐺4 (𝑠)𝐺5 (𝑠)𝐺7 (𝑠)

b) 𝑇2 = 𝐺1 (𝑠)𝐺2 (𝑠)𝐺3 (𝑠)𝐺4 (𝑠)𝐺6 (𝑠)𝐺7 (𝑠)

40
Example 6

Nontouching Loops that do not have any nodes in common.

loops

For this SFG, loop a) 𝐿1 = 𝐺2 (𝑠)𝐻1 (𝑠) does not touch loops b)𝐿2 = 𝐺4 (𝑠)𝐻2 (𝑠), c)𝐿3 = 𝐺4 (𝑠)𝐺5 (𝑠)
𝐻3 (𝑠) and d)𝐿4 = 𝐺4 (𝑠)𝐺6 (𝑠) 𝐻3 (𝑠).

41
Example 6

Nontouching- The product of loop gains from nontouching-loops taken two, three, four or
loop gain more at a time.

For this SFG, there are three nontouching-loop gains taken two at a time.

a) 𝐿1,2 = [𝐺2 𝑠 𝐻1 𝑠 ][𝐺4 (𝑠)𝐻2 (𝑠)]

b) 𝐿1,3 = [𝐺2 𝑠 𝐻1 𝑠 ][𝐺4 (𝑠)𝐺5 (𝑠)𝐻3 (𝑠)]
c) 𝐿1,4 = [𝐺2 𝑠 𝐻1 𝑠 ][𝐺4 𝑠 𝐺6 𝑠 𝐻3 𝑠 ]
There are no nontouching-loop gains taken three at a time.
42
2.2.4c Mason’s Rule
𝐶 𝑠
The transfer function , of a system represented by a SFG is
𝑅 𝑠

𝐶(𝑠) σ𝑘 𝑇𝑘 ∆𝑘
𝐺 𝑠 = =
𝑅(𝑠) ∆
where
𝑘 is the number of forward path
𝑇𝑘 is the 𝑘-th forward-path gain
∆ = 1 − σ loop gains + σ nontouching loop gains taken 2 − σ nontouching loop gains taken 3 + ⋯
∆𝑘 = ∆ − σ loop gains terms in ∆ that touch the 𝑘−th forward−path gain.

* ∆ is formed by eliminating from ∆ loop gains that touch the 𝑘-th forward path.

43
Example 6
The transfer function is

𝐶(𝑠) σ𝑘 𝑇𝑘 ∆𝑘
𝐺 𝑠 = =
𝑅(𝑠) ∆
where ∆ = 1 − 𝐺2 𝑠 𝐻1 𝑠 + 𝐺4 𝑠 𝐻2 𝑠 + 𝐺4 𝑠 𝐺5 𝑠 𝐻3 𝑠 + 𝐺4 𝑠 𝐺6 𝑠 𝐻3 𝑠 +
(σ loop gains )

( 𝐺2 𝑠 𝐻1 𝑠 𝐺4 𝑠 𝐻2 𝑠 + 𝐺4 𝑠 𝐺5 𝑠 𝐻3 𝑠 + 𝐺4 𝑠 𝐺6 𝑠 𝐻3 𝑠 )

(σ nontouching loop gains taken 2)

∆1 = 1, ∆2 = 1 since both forward paths touch all the loops.

𝐶(𝑠) 𝐺1 𝑠 𝐺2 𝑠 𝐺3 𝑠 𝐺4 𝑠 𝐺5 𝑠 𝐺7 𝑠 + 𝐺1 (𝑠)𝐺2 (𝑠)𝐺3 (𝑠)𝐺4 (𝑠)𝐺6 (𝑠)𝐺7 (𝑠)

𝐺 𝑠 = =
𝑅(𝑠) ∆

44
Example 7
𝐶 𝑠
Find the transfer function for the SFG in Figure 8.
𝑅 𝑠

Figure 8

45
Example 8
Convert the block diagram in Figure 9 to a signal-flow graph and find the
𝐶(𝑠)
transfer function ൗ𝑅(𝑠)

Figure 9

48