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Laboratory Activity #2.2

Objectives:
(1) Learn how to use MatLab built-in functions in generating equivalent transfer
function of blocks connected in, (1) series, (2) parallel and (3) feedback
(canonical form).
(2) Be able to solve equivalent transfer function of a given system of blocks.

Discussions:
Transfer function is defined as the ratio of the Laplace transform of the output
variable to the Laplace transform of the input variable, with all zero initial conditions.

A transfer function has the following properties:

 The transfer function is defined only for a linear time-invariant (LTI) system. It
is not defined for nonlinear systems.

 The transfer function between a pair of input and output variables is the ratio
of the Laplace transform of output to the Laplace transform of the input.

 All initial conditions of the system are set to zero.

 The transfer function is independent of the input of the system.

Prepared by: ECN, REE, MEng., MSc.

Block diagram is used to represent all types of systems. It can be used, together with
transfer functions, to describe the cause-and-effect relationships throughout the
system. A block diagram of a system is a pictorial representation of the functions
performed by each component and of the flow of signals. The block diagram gives an
overview of the system.

Procedure for solving transfer function using Matlab:

1. A transfer function of an LTI system can be entered in Matlab using the

command tf(num, den) where num and den are row vectors containing,
respectively, the coefficients of the numerator and denominator polynomials
of the transfer function.

Example:

num = [ 3 1];
den = [ 1 3 2];
G = tf(num, den)

Show the output of these Matlab script.

Put your answer here.

2. Once the transfer functions have been entered, you can combine them using
arithmetic operations such as addition and multiplication to evaluate the
transfer function of a cascaded system.

Prepared by: ECN, REE, MEng., MSc.

 For the series connection of blocks, we can
determine the equivalent transfer function
using series(tf1, tf2).

Example:

Determine the transfer function,

G1 = tf([1], [1 1]);
G2 = tf([1], [1 1 1]);
TF = series(G1, G2);

Show the output of these Matlab script.

Put your answer here.

For the parallel connection of blocks, we can

determine the equivalent transfer function using
parallel(tf1, tf2).

Example:

We can obtain the equivalent transfer function of the following parallel blocks by
typing the following Matlab script,

G1 = tf([1], [1 1]);
G2 = tf([1], [1 1 1]);
TF = parallel(±G1, ±G2);

Show the output of these Matlab script.

Put your answer here.

Prepared by: ECN, REE, MEng., MSc.

For the canonical connection of blocks, we can determine the equivalent transfer
function using feedback(tf1, tf2).

Example:

We can obtain the equivalent transfer function of the following canonical form of
blocks by typing the following Matlab script,

G1 = tf([1], [1 1 1]);
G2 = tf([1], [1 1]);
TF = feedback(G1, -G2)

Show the output of these Matlab script.

Put your answer here.

Prepared by: ECN, REE, MEng., MSc.

Tasks:

A. Create a MatLab script to solve for the overall transfer function of the following
system of blocks.
1.

2.

Matlab Script (Figure 1) Command Window Output

Prepared by: ECN, REE, MEng., MSc.

 Matlab Script (Figure 2) Command Window Output

Values of transfer functions:

G1 = (s+1) H1 = 1/(s-6)
G2 = (s+2) H2 = 5/(s-7)
G3 = (s+3) H3 = (s + 8)/(s2+2s+1)
G4 = (s+4)
G5 = (s+5)

B. Manual Solutions: To verify your answer from Matlab, use the properties of Block
Diagram Reduction method to determine the transfer function of the BD above.
(You can use yellow paper to write your solution)

C. Manual Solutions: Transform the given Block Diagram to Signal Flow Graph then
use Mason’s Rule to solve for the equivalent transfer function.

Prepared by: ECN, REE, MEng., MSc.