Signal-Flow Graphs and Block Diagram Conversion

Reduction of Block Diagrams

Houssein Nasser PhD.

Electrical Department,
Faculty of Engineering, Lebanese University.

February 18, 2025

Signal-Flow Graphs
Signal-flow graphs are an alternative to block diagrams.
Unlike block diagrams, which consist of blocks, signals, summing
junctions, and pickoff points.
A signal-flow graph consists only of branches (representing systems)
and nodes (representing signals).
A system is represented by a line with an arrow showing the direction
of signal flow through the system.
Adjacent to the line, we write the transfer function.
A signal is a node with the signal’s name written adjacent to the node.

Components of Signal-Flow Graphs

Interconnection of Systems and Signals

Each signal is the sum of signals flowing into it. For example:

V (s) = R1 (s)G1 (s) − R2 (s)G2 (s) + R3 (s)G3 (s)

C2 (s) = V (s)G5 (s) = R1 (s)G1 (s)G5 (s) − R2 (s)G2 (s)G5 (s) + R3 (s)G3 (s)G5 (s)
C3 (s) = −V (s)G6 (s) = −R1 (s)G1 (s)G6 (s) + R2 (s)G2 (s)G6 (s) − R3 (s)G3 (s)G6 (s)

Notice that in summing negative signals, we associate the negative sign with the
system, not with a summing junction.

Signal-Flow Graphs vs Block Diagrams

To show the analogy between block diagrams and signal-flow graphs,

convert some block diagram forms into signal-flow graphs. In each case:
Convert signals to nodes
Interconnect the nodes with system branches
Problem: Convert the cascaded, parallel, and feedback forms of the
block diagrams into signal-flow graphs.
Solution:
1 In each case, we start by drawing the signal nodes for the system.
2 Next, we interconnect the signal nodes with system branches.
The interconnection of the nodes with branches representing
subsystems is shown next slides for the cascaded, parallel, and
feedback forms, respectively.
Signal-Flow Graph for Cascaded System

Cascaded system nodes

Cascaded system signal-flow graph
Equivalent Block Diagram representation 

Signal-Flow Graph for Parallel System

Parallel system nodes 
Parallel system signal-flow graph
Equivalent Block Diagram representation
Signal-Flow Graph for Feedback System

Feedback system nodes

Feedback system Signal-Flow graph
Equivalent Block Diagram representation

Converting a Block Diagram to a Signal-Flow Graph

Solution: draw the signal nodes. Then, interconnect the nodes, showing
the direction of signal flow and identifying each transfer function.
Converting a Block Diagram to a Signal-Flow Graph

Finally, simplify the signal-flow graph by eliminating signals that have a

Converting Another Block Diagram
Problem: Convert the block diagram to a signal-flow graph.

Solution: Follow the same process as before to draw the signal nodes and
Mason’s Rule
interconnect them with branches that represent subsystems and transfer
functions.

Mason’s rule is a technique for reducing signal-flow graphs to a single

transfer function that relates the output of a system to its input.
Unlike the block diagram reduction technique, which requires
successive application of fundamental relationships, Mason’s rule can
be applied using a single formula.
In general, it can be complicated to implement the formula.
Specifically, the existence of what we will later call nontouching loops
increases the complexity of the formula.
However, many systems do not have non-touching loops. For these
systems, you may find Mason’s rule easier to use than block diagram
reduction.
Mason’s formula has several components that must be evaluated.
Mason’s Rule Overview

1 First, we must be sure that the definitions of the components are well
understood.
2 Then we must exert care in evaluating the components. To that end,
we discuss some basic definitions applicable to signal-flow graphs;
then we state Mason’s rule and do an example

Mason’s Rule
Mason’s formula for reducing a signal-flow graph was derived by S. J.
Mason in 1953. This rule involves the application of the following formula,
but note that the presence of nontouching loops can complicate its
implementation.
Mason’s Formula for Transfer Function:
P
C (s) Tk ∆k
G (s) = = k
R(s) ∆

Mason’s Formula for Transfer Function:

P
C (s) k Tk ∆k
G (s) = =
R(s) ∆
k is the number of forward paths
Tk is the k-th forward-path gain
∆ is the determinant factor, defined as:
X
∆=1− (loop gains)
X
+ (nontouching-loop gains taken two at a time)
X
− (nontouching-loop gains taken three at a time)
X
+ (nontouching-loop gains taken four at a time) − · · ·
P
∆k = ∆ − loop gain terms in ∆ that touch the k-th forward path.
In other words, ∆k is formed by eliminating from ∆ those loop gains
that touch the k-th forward path.
Notice the alternating signs for the components of ∆. The following
Definitions of Key Components
Before applying Mason’s rule, it’s important to understand several
definitions:

Loop Gain

The product of branch gains found by

traversing a path that starts and ends at the L1 = G2 (s)H1 (s)
same node, following the direction of signal L2 = G4 (s)H2 (s)
flow, without passing through any node L3 = G4 (s)G5 (s)H3 (s)
more than once. L4 = G4 (s)G6 (s)H3 (s)

Definitions of Key Components

Before applying Mason’s rule, it’s important to understand several
definitions:

Forward-Path Gain
The product of gains found by traversing a path from the input node to
the output node of the signal-flow graph in the direction of signal flow.

D1 = G1 (s)G2 (s)G3 (s)G4 (s)G5 (s)G7 (s)

D2 = G1 (s)G2 (s)G3 (s)G4 (s)G6 (s)G7 (s)
Nontouching Loops

Nontouching Loops: Loops that do not have any nodes in common.

Loop L1 → G2 (s)H1 (s) does not touch loops L2 → G4 (s)H2 (s) ,
L3 → G4 (s)G5 (s)H3 (s) and L4 → G4 (s)G6 (s)H3 (s).
Nontouching-Loop Gain: The product of loop gains from nontouching
loops taken two, three, four, or more at a time.
Examples of nontouching-loop gains taken two at a time:

{L1 , L2 } → [G2 (s)H1 (s)] [G4 (s)H2 (s)]

{L1 , L3 } → [G2 (s)H1 (s)] [G4 (s)G5 (s)H3 (s)]
{L1 , L4 } → [G2 (s)H1 (s)] [G4 (s)G6 (s)H3 (s)]

In our example there are no nontouching-loop gains taken three at a time

since three nontouching loops do notexist in the example.

Mason’s Rule Formula Components

Mason’s rule involves two key components:

A the determinant factor, which accounts for loop gains and
nontouching-loop gains

∆ = 1 − {L1 + L2 + L3 + L4 } + {L1 L2 + L1 L3 + L1 L4 }
P
k Tk the sum of the forward-path gains
The alternating signs in A depend on the number of touching loops and
the order in which nontouching loops are considered.
Note: For each forward path, Ak is formed by eliminating loop gains that
touch the k-th forward path.
Mason’s Rule Summary

In summary, the transfer function G (s) = CR(s)

(s)
for a signal-flow graph can
be calculated using Mason’s rule, which requires:
Identifying all forward paths and their gains
Calculating the loop gains and nontouching-loop gains
Applying the formula with alternating signs for each component
The rule is straightforward to use when there are no nontouching loops,
but it can become more complex when such loops exist.

Transfer Function via Mason’s Rule

C (s)
Find the transfer function, R(s) for the signal-flow graph:
Example of Mason’s Rule

Now, let’s look at an example using Mason’s rule to reduce a signal-flow

graph.
Step 1: Identify the forward paths and calculate their gains.
Step 2: Identify the loops and their gains.
Step 3: Calculate the nontouching-loop gains.
Step 4: Apply Mason’s formula to find the transfer function.
This example will help clarify the process of applying Mason’s rule.

Identify the Loop Gains

First, identify the forward-path gains. In this example, there is only one:

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

Second, identify the loop gains. There are four loop gains, as follows:
1 L1 → G2 (s)H1 (s)
2 L2 → G4 (s)H2 (s)
3 L3 → G7 (s)H4 (s)
4 L4 → G2 (s)G3 (s)G4 (s)G5 (s)G6 (s)G7 (s)G8 (s)
Identify Nontouching Loops Taken Two at a Time
Third, identify the nontouching loops taken two at a time:
Loop 1 does not touch loop 2, loop 1 does not touch loop 3, and loop
2 does not touch loop 3.
Loops 1, 2, and 3 all touch loop 4.
The combinations of nontouching loops taken two at a time are:

{L1 , L2 } → G2 (s)H1 (s)G4 (s)H2 (s)

{L1 , L3 } → G2 (s)H1 (s)G7 (s)H4 (s)
{L2 , L3 } → G4 (s)H2 (s)G7 (s)H4 (s)

Identify Nontouching Loops Taken Three at a Time

Finally, the nontouching loops taken three at a time are:

{L1 , L2 , L3 } → G2 (s)H1 (s)G4 (s)H2 (s)G7 (s)H4 (s)

Form ∆k

We form ∆k by eliminating from ∆ the loop gains that touch the kth
forward path:
∆1 = 1 − G7 (s)H4 (s)
Final Transfer Function

The transfer function:

T1 ∆1 G1 (s)G2 (s)G3 (s)G4 (s)G5 (s) [1 − G7 (s)H4 (s)]
G (s) = =
∆ ∆
Since there is only one forward path, G (s) consists of only one term,
rather than a sum of terms, each coming from a forward path.

T1 = G1 (s)G2 (s)G3 (s) L1 = −G2 (s)H2 (s)

T2 = G1 (s)G3 (s) L2 = −G3 (s)H3 (s)
∆ = 1 − [L1 + L2 + L3 ] L3 = −G1 (s)G2 (s)H1 (s)
+ [L1 L2 + L2 L3 ] ∆1 = ∆2 = 1
C (s) T1 ∆1 + T2 ∆2 T1 + T2
= =
R(s) ∆ [1 − L1 − L3 ] [1 − L2 ]
C (s) G1 (s)G2 (s)G3 (s) + G1 (s)G3 (s)
=
R(s) [1 + G2 (s)H2 (s) + G1 (s)G2 (s)H1 (s)] [1 + G3 (s)H3 (s)]