Feedback Control System
Lesson 5: Transfer
Function
Transfer Function
• Defined as the ratio of the Laplace
transform of the output variable to the
Laplace transform of the input variable, •
with all initial conditions assumed to be
zero. (*Based on Convolution Property)
• Represents the relationship describing
the dynamics of the system under
consideration.
• May be defined only for a linear and
time-invariant (LTI) system.
• Also, the input-output description of the •
behavior of a system.
• Thus, it does not include any
information concerning the internal
structure of the system and its behavior.
The transfer function of a continuous
system has several useful properties:
• It is the Laplace transform of its impulse
response. That is, if the input to a
system with transfer function P s is an
impulse and all initial values are zero,
the transform of the output is P(s).
• The system transfer function can be
determined from the system differential
equation by taking the Laplace
transform and ignoring all terms arising
from initial values. The transfer function
𝑌(𝑠)
P s is then given by 𝑃(𝑠) = 𝑈(𝑠)
• The system differential equation can be
obtained from the transfer function by
replacing the s variable with the
differential operator D defined by D =
d/dt.
The stability of a time invariant linear
system can be determined from the
characteristic equation. The
denominator of the system transfer
function is the characteristic polynomial.
Consequently, for continuous systems,
if all roots of the denominator have
negative real parts, the system is stable.
The roots of the denominator are the
system poles, and the roots of the
numerator are the system zeros. The
system transfer function can be
specified to within a constant by
specifying the system poles and zeros.
This constant, usually denoted by K, is
the system gain factor.
• If the system transfer function has no
poles or zeros with positive real parts,
the system is a minimum phase system.
S-Plane:
• The zeros and poles are represented to
a complex cartesian plane, known as
the s-plane of the function P(s)
• “O” represents the zeros while “X”
represents the poles of the function.
1|Feedback Control
System
Examples: Example:
Determine the transfer function of the Determine the transfer function and system
following linear differential equation characteristics of the following s-graph.
3 2 2
𝑑 𝑦 𝑑 𝑦 𝑑𝑦 𝑑 𝑢 𝑑𝑢
+ 4 + 4 + 𝑦 = − 2 +𝑢
𝑑𝑡 3 𝑑𝑡 2 𝑑𝑡 𝑑𝑡 2 𝑑𝑡
𝑑2𝑦 𝑑𝑦 𝑑𝑢
2
+3 + 2𝑦 = +𝑢
𝑑𝑡 𝑑𝑡 𝑑𝑡
𝑑
𝑦(𝑡) + 𝑦(𝑡) = 𝑢(𝑡 − 3)
𝑑𝑡

Example:
Given the transfer functions, determine the
system’s characteristics (Zeros, Poles,
Gain Factor, Stable or Unstable, if Minimum
Phase System or not)
2𝑠 + 4
𝑃(𝑠) =
(𝑠 + 1)(𝑠 + 2)(𝑠 − 3)
𝑠−1
𝑃(𝑠) = 2
𝑠 −1 Seatwork:
(𝑠 + 1)(𝑠 + 2)
𝑃(𝑠) = I. Determine the transfer function of the
(2𝑠 + 1)(3𝑠 + 2) following equation (TBA)
II. Determine the system characteristics
Example: of the following (TBA)
The impulse is applied at the input of a III. A lag compensator is a circuit that is
continuous system and the output is designed to generate a steady-state
observed to be the time function 𝑒 −2𝑡 sinusoidal signal having a phase lag
• Determine the transfer function to the applied input sinusoidal signal.
• Determine the system’s characteristics This can also be stated in a way that
it is a circuit that is when provided with
Example: a sinusoidal input produces a
A step-up is applied at the input of a sinusoidal output signal whose phase
continuous system and the output is lags the applied input.
observed to be the time function:
𝑡, 𝑡<5
𝑓(𝑡) = {
5, 𝑡≥5
• Determine the transfer function
• Determine the system’s characteristics

Determine the system characteristics

of a lag compensator

2|Feedback Control
System