Signal flow

graphs
Lecture 9

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 Previous lecture
• Reduction of Multiple Subsystems

Lecture outline
• Signal flow graphs

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 Signal-Flow Graph Models

For complex systems, the block diagram method can

become difficult to complete. By using the signal-
flow graph model, the reduction procedure (used in
the block diagram method) is not necessary to
determine the relationship between system variables.
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 Fundamentals of Signal Flow Graphs
• Consider a simple equation below and draw its
signal flow graph:
y  ax
• The signal flow graph of the equation is shown
below;
a y
x
• Every variable in a signal flow graph is designed by
a Node.
• Every transmission function in a signal flow graph is
designed by a Branch.
• Branches are always unidirectional.
• The arrow in the branch denotes the direction of the
signal flow.
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 Terminologies
• An input node or source contain only the
outgoing branches. i.e., X1
• An output node or sink contain only the
incoming branches. i.e., X4
• A path is a continuous, unidirectional
succession of branches along which no node is
passed more than ones. i.e.,

X1 to X2 to X3 to X4 X1 to X2 to X4 X2 to X3 to X4

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 Terminologies
• A forward path is a path from the input node to the
output node. i.e., X1 to X2 to X3 to X4 , and X1 to X2 to
X4 , are forward paths.
• A feedback path or feedback loop is a path which
originates and terminates on the same node. i.e.; X2
to X3 and back to X2 is a feedback path.

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 Block Diagrams and Corresponding SFG

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Lecture 9 Control Systems 4/22/2019 8
Consider the signal flow graph below and identify the

following

a) Input node.
b) Output node.
c) Forward paths.
d) Feedback paths (loops).
e) Determine the loop gains of the feedback loops.
f) Determine the path gains of the forward paths.
g) Non-touching loops
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 Consider the signal flow graph below and identify the

following

• There are two forward path gains;

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 Consider the signal flow graph below and identify the

following
• There are four loops

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 Consider the signal flow graph below and identify the

following

• Nontouching loop gains;

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 Mason’s Rule:
• The transfer function, C(s)/R(s), of a system represented by a signal-flow
graph is;
n
 Pi  i
C( s ) i 1

R( s ) 
Where

n = number of forward paths.

Pi = the i th forward-path gain.
∆ = Determinant of the system
∆i = Determinant of the ith forward path

• ∆ is called the signal flow graph determinant or characteristic function.

Since ∆=0 is the system characteristic equation.
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 Mason’s Rule:
n
 Pi  i
C( s ) i 1

R( s ) 
∆ = 1- (sum of all individual loop gains) + (sum of the products of the
gains of all possible two loops that do not touch each other) – (sum
of the products of the gains of all possible three loops that do not
touch each other) + … and so forth with sums of higher number of
non-touching loop gains

∆i = value of Δ for the part of the block diagram that does not touch
the i-th forward path (Δi = 1 if there are no non-touching loops to the
i-th path.)

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 Systematic approach

1. Calculate forward path gain Pi for each

forward path i.
2. Calculate all loop transfer functions
3. Consider non-touching loops 2 at a time
4. Consider non-touching loops 3 at a time etc
5. Calculate Δ from steps 2,3,4 and 5
6. Calculate Δi as portion of Δ not touching
forward path i

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 Example#1: Apply Mason’s Rule to calculate the transfer function
of the system represented by following Signal Flow Graph

n
 Pi  i
C( s ) i 1

R( s ) 

C P11  P2  2

Therefore,

R 
There are three feedback loops

L1  G1G4 H1 , L2  G1G2G4 H 2 , L3  G1G3G4 H 2

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 Example#1: Apply Mason’s Rule to calculate the transfer function of the

system represented by following Signal Flow Graph

n
 Pi  i
C( s ) i 1

There are no non-touching loops, therefore R( s ) 

∆ = 1- (sum of all individual loop gains)

  1  L1  L2  L3 

  1  G1G4 H1  G1G2G4 H 2  G1G3G4 H 2 

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 Example#1: Apply Mason’s Rule to calculate the transfer function of the

system represented by following Signal Flow Graph

  1  G1G4 H1  G1G2G4 H 2  G1G3G4 H 2 

Eliminate forward path-1

∆1 = 1- (sum of all individual loop gains)+...

∆1 = 1
1. Calculate Δi as portion of Δ not
touching forward path i
Eliminate forward path-2

∆2 = 1- (sum of all individual loop gains)+...

∆2 = 1
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 Example#1: Continue

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 Example#2: Apply Mason’s Rule to calculate the transfer function
of the system represented by following Signal Flow Graph

P1

P2

1. Calculate forward path gains for each forward path.

P1  G1G2G3G4 (path 1) and P2  G5G6G7G8 (path 2)

2. Calculate all loop gains.

L1  G2 H 2 , L2  H 3G3 , L3  G6 H 6 , L4  G7 H 7

3. Consider two non-touching loops.

L1L3 L1L4
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L2L4 L2L3 20
 n
Example#2: continue  Pi  i
C( s ) i 1

4. Consider three non-touching loops. R( s ) 
None.

5. Calculate Δ from steps 2,3,4.

  1  L1  L2  L3  L4   L1L3  L1L4  L2 L3  L2 L4 

  1  G2 H 2  H 3G3  G6 H 6  G7 H 7  
G2 H 2G6 H 6  G2 H 2G7 H 7  H 3G3G6 H 6  H 3G3G7 H 7 
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 n

Example#2: continue C( s )
R( s )

 Pi  i
i 1

P1  G1G2G3G4 (path 1) and P2  G5G6G7G8 (path 2)
Calculate Δi as portion of Δ not touching forward path i
Eliminate forward path-1

1  1  L3  L4 

1  1  G6 H 6  G7 H 7 
Eliminate forward path-2

 2  1  L1  L2 

 2  1  G2 H 2  G3 H 3 

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22
 Example#2: continue

Y ( s ) P11  P2  2

R( s ) 

G1G2G3G4 1  G6 H 6  G7 H 7  
Y (s) G5G6G7G8 1  G2 H 2  G3 H 3 

R( s ) 1  G2 H 2  H 3G3  G6 H 6  G7 H 7  
G2 H 2G6 H 6  G2 H 2G7 H 7  H 3G3G6 H 6  H 3G3G7 H 7 

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 From Block Diagram to Signal-Flow Graph
Models:
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

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－H3 4/22/2019 24
From Block Diagram to 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
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 Design Example#1

1
V1 ( s )  I1 ( s )  I1 ( s ) R
Cs
CsV1 ( s )  CsV2 ( s )  I1 ( s )
V2 ( s )  I 1 ( s ) R
Cs

Cs R

V1 (s ) I1 (s ) V2 (s )
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 Design Example#2

F  M 1s 2 X 1  k1 ( X 1  X 2 )  f1s 0  M 2 s 2 X 2  f 2 s  k1 ( X 2  X 1 )  k 2 X 2

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 Design Example#2

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 Design Example#2

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Exercise: Determine the transfer function C/R for the block diagram
below by signal flow graph techniques.

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 Exercise problems
• Do the exercise problems of Lesson 2.
• Practice example problems of chapter 2.

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