SIGNAL FLOW GRAPHS

mathematical models of systems

Signal-Flow Graph Models

Block diagram reduction is not convenient to a complicated system.

Signal-Flow graph —is a very available approach to determine the

relationship between the input and output variables of a system, only
needing a Mason’s formula without the complex reduction procedures.

Symbols used in Signal-Flow Graph only utilize two graphical symbols for
describing the relationship between system variables。
。

Nodes, representing the signals or variables.

G Branches, representing the relationship and gain

Between two variables.
 Signal-Flow Graph Models
Some terms used in Signal-Flow Graph
Path — a branch or a continuous sequence of branches traversing from one
node to another node.
Path gain — the product of all branch gains along the path.

Loop a closed path that originates and terminates on the same node, and
along the path no node is met twice.
Loop gain the product of all branch gains along the loop.
Touching loops more than one loops sharing one or more common nodes.
Non-touching loops — more than one loops they do not have a common
node.
 Signal-Flow Graph Models
Mason’s gain formula
k

C (s) ∑
k =1
Pk ∆ k
G (s) = =
R (s) ∆
∆ = 1 − ∑ L1 + ∑ L2 − ∑ L3 + • • •
pk → k-th forward path gain
∆ k → cofactor of pk : make the branch gains, which
touch the k-th forward path, are zero in ∆.
∑ L1 → sum of all different loop gains.
∑ L2 → sum of the gain products of all combination of
2 non-touching loops.
∑ L3 → sum of th e gain products of all combination of
3 non-touching loops.
 Signal-Flow Graph Models
Mason’s Rule

C(s) ∑
k =1
Pk ∆ k
G(s) = =
R(s) ∆
∆ = 1− ∑ L1 + ∑ L 2 − ∑ L 3 + •••
 Signal-Flow Graph Models
Example f

c
x0 x1 x2 g x3 x4
a d h

b e
m
∑ Pk ∆ k ∆ = 1 − (b + cd + ge ) + (bge )
C ( s ) k =1
G( s) = = P1 = adgh ∆1 = 1
R( s ) ∆
∆ = 1 − ∑ L1 + ∑ L2 − ∑ L3 + • • • P2 = fh ; ∆ 2 = 1 − (b + cd )
x4 adgh + fh(1 − b − cd )
G= =
x0 1 − b − cd − ge + bge
 Signal-Flow Graph Models
Signal-Flow Graph based on Block Diagram

Graphical symbol comparison between the signal-flow graph and block

diagram:

Block diagram Signal-flow graph

and

G(s) G(s)
 Signal-Flow Graph Models
Example 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
 Signal-Flow Graph Models
－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
 Signal-flow Graph Components

a. System;
b. Signal;
c. Interconnection of Systems and Signals
 Building signal-flow graphs
a. cascaded system
nodes ;
b. cascaded system signal-flow graph
c. parallel system nodes
d. parallel system
signal-flow graph;
e. feedback system
nodes
f. feedback system
signal-flow graph
 Signal-flow Graph Development

a. Signal Nodes;
b. Signal-flow Graph;
c. Simplified Signal-
flow Graph
Signal-flow Graph For Demonstrating
Mason’s Rule
Signal-flow Graph