CONTROL SYSTEMS

SIGNAL FLOW GRAPH

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SIGNAL FLOW DIAGRAM / GRAPH:

Another way of describing the relations between Laplace-transformed signals is to

employ a signal flow graph.
The advantage of using a signal flow graph for complicated systems is that a
straightforward procedure is available for finding the transfer function in which it is
not necessary to move pickoff points around or to redraw the system several times
as with block diagram manipulations.

There are the steps for converting a block diagram to a signal flow graph.

1- Replace every block in a block diagram with a branch in a signal flow graph.

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SIGNAL FLOW GRAPH:
There are the steps for converting a block diagram to a signal flow graph.

2- Replace each combination of a summer and pickoff point in a block diagram

with a node in a signal flow graph.
All sums arc assumed to be positive for each node, so signs are not shown on a
signal flow graph.
For each negative sum, a negative sign must be included with the branch. Label the
node with the variable assigned to the pickoff point.

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SIGNAL FLOW GRAPH :
There are the steps for converting a block diagram to a signal flow graph.
3- Replace each solitary/lonely pickoff point (not connected to a summer) with a
node labelled with the variable assigned to the pickoff point.
4. For each input, show a node labelled with the variable assigned to the input.
5. Add unity branches as needed for clarity or to make connections.
Example:

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SIGNAL FLOW GRAPHS:
Exercise: Convert following SIGNAL FLOW DIAGRAMS to a signal flow
graph and reduce it if possible.

Solution:
Step-1 Label any unlabelled signals
Step-2 Place a node for each signal
Step-3 Connect nodes with branches, each representing a system block.
Step-4 Don’t include –ve sign with node, so here -1 is used.

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SIGNAL FLOW GRAPHS:
Solution:
Step-1 Label any unlabelled signals
Step-2 Place a node for each signal
Step-3 Connect nodes with branches, each representing a system block.
Step-4 Don’t include –ve sign with node, so here -1 is used.

Step-5 Nodes with a single input and single output can be eliminated, here it is
for X1 and X2

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SIGNAL FLOW GRAPHS:
Exercise: Convert following SIGNAL FLOW DIAGRAMS to a signal flow
graph and reduce it if possible.

Solution:

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 (SIGNAL FLOW DIAGRAMS)
SIGNAL FLOW GRAPHS:
Exercise: Convert following SIGNAL FLOW DIAGRAMS to a signal flow
graph

Solution:

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SIGNAL FLOW DIAGRAM ELEMENTS:

Mason’s Rule:

Mason's Gain Rule is a technique for finding an overall transfer function. It is

helpful when trying to simplify complex systems.

The purpose of using Mason's is the same as that of Block Reduction to find
transfer function of system.

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SIGNAL FLOW DIAGRAM ELEMENTS:

DEFINITIONS ANS TERMINOLOGY FOR MASON’S RULE:

Path(P): A succession of branches, from input to output, in the direction of the
arrows, that does not pass any node more than once. Path gain(value): Product of
the transmittances of the branches of the path. Path gain along any path from the
input to the output. Feedback (H(s)) is not a path as it is opposite in direction.
In following figure, there are two paths:
P1=1*G1(S)*1 *1*G2(S)* G3(S) *G4(S)

P2=1*G1(S)*1 *1*G2(S)* G5(S)

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SIGNAL FLOW DIAGRAM ELEMENTS:

DEFINITIONS AND TERMINOLOGY FOR MASON’S RULE:

Loop: A closed succession of branches, in the direction of the arrows, that does not
pass any node more than once. Loop gain(value): Product of the transmittances of
the branches of the loop.
In following figure, there are three(3) loops:
L1=[G1(s)] * [-H3(s)]
L2=[G2(s)] * [H1(s)]
L3=1* [G2(s)] * [G3(s)] * [-H2(s)]

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SIGNAL FLOW DIAGRAM ELEMENTS:
DEFINITIONS FOR MASON’S RULE:
Touching: Loops with one or more nodes in common are termed touching. A loop
and a path are touching if they have a common node. Non‐touching: loops that do
not have any nodes in common. In following figure:
L1 does not touch L2 and L1 does not touch L3 Non touching loop
L2 and L3 has common node and L2 touches L3 Touching loop
Non-touching loop gains(value): the product of loop gains from non-touching
loops, taken two, three, four, or more at a time.
In following figure, there are two non-touching loops (pairs) and gain will be:
L1 * L2 and L1 * L3

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SIGNAL FLOW DIAGRAM ELEMENTS:
DEFINITIONS FOR MASON’S RULE:
Determinant(): The determinant of a signal flow graph is:
 = 1 - (sum of all loop gains)
+ (sum of products of gains of all combinations of 2 non-touching loops)
- (sum of products of gains of all combinations of 3 non-touching loops)
-
+(sum of products of gains of all combinations of 4 non-touching loops)

-……….. And so on
In following figure, there are only two non touching loops, therefore,
 = 1 - (L1+L2+L3) + (L1L2+L1L3)

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SIGNAL FLOW DIAGRAM ELEMENTS:
DEFINITIONS FOR MASON’S RULE:
Cofactor(i): The cofactor of the ith path, denoted by (i) is the determinant of the
signal flow graph formed by deleting all loops touching path i.
Number of Cofactor Δi is always equal to number of path. Here paths are two
therefore number of Cofactors Δi will also be two and these are (Δ 1 and Δ2).
Cofactor Δi terms from Δ can be find by removing paths one by one and also
remove nodes.
For Cofactor Δi take i=1 and remove path number-1, with forward path 1 removed,
L3 loop not exist and L2 touches Path-2, so 1 = 1 – (L1+L2)
For Cofactor Δi take i=2 and remove path number-2, with forward path 2 removed,
All loop exist but L2 touches L3, so 2 = 1 - (L1+L2+L3)

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SIGNAL FLOW DIAGRAM ELEMENTS:
DEFINITIONS FOR MASON’S RULE:

Mason s Rule:

For given system

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Exercise: Find transfer function of given system by using Mason’s rule:

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SIGNAL FLOW DIAGRAM ELEMENTS:

Exercise: Find transfer function of given system by using Mason’s rule:

UNDERSTAND IT AND
Individual loops are four: L1, L2, L3, and L4

PERFORM NEXT PROBLEM

Here (L1 and L2) and (L3 and L4) touch each other.
INloops
Two non-touching THIS CLASS
are four:

Three non-touching loops is zero. There is no any

match of three of non touching loops.
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SIGNAL FLOW DIAGRAM ELEMENTS:

Exercise: Find transfer function of given system by using Mason’s rule:

Individual loops are four:

Two non-touching loops are four:
Three non-touching loops is zero.
We have determinant:
 = 1 - (Individual loops) +(Two non-touching loops)-(Three non-touching loops)
 = 1 – ( L1 + L2 + L3 + L4) + ( L1L3 + L1L4 + L2L3 + L2L4 ) - ZERO
There are two paths therefore number Cofactors will also be 2 (1 and 2)
Find i by vanishing the ith path
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SIGNAL FLOW DIAGRAM ELEMENTS:

Exercise: Find transfer function of given system by using Mason’s rule:

 = 1 – ( L1 + L2 + L3 + L4) + ( L1L3 + L1L4 + L2L3 + L2L4 ) - ZERO

There are two paths therefore number Cofactors will also be 2 (1 and 2)
Find i by vanishing the ith path:

Take i=1 and vanish path-1, Now L1 and L2 not exist and become zero.
The equation of determinant will be: 1 = 1-( L3 + L4 ) = 1 − 𝐺6𝐻6 − 𝐺7𝐻7

Take i=2 and vanish path-2, Now L3 and L4 not exist and become zero.
The equation of determinant will be: 2 = 1-( L1 + L2 ) = 1 − 𝐺2𝐻2 − 𝐺3𝐻3
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SIGNAL FLOW DIAGRAM ELEMENTS:

Exercise: Find transfer function of given system by using Mason’s rule:

 = 1 – ( L1 + L2 + L3 + L4) + ( L1L3 + L1L4 + L2L3 + L2L4 ) - ZERO

1 = 1-( L3 + L4 ) = 1 − 𝐺6𝐻6 − 𝐺7𝐻7
2 = 1-( L1 + L2 ) = 1 − 𝐺2𝐻2 − 𝐺3𝐻3

USE MASON’S RULE

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SIGNAL FLOW DIAGRAM ELEMENTS:

Exercise: Find transfer function of given system by using Mason’s rule:

DO IT
NOW

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SIGNAL FLOW DIAGRAM ELEMENTS:

Exercise: Find transfer function of given system by using Mason’s rule:

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REFER FOLLOWING BOOKS AND CLASS WORK FOR
OBJECTIVE TEST AND PRACTICE PROBLEMS

Books:
1- Control System Engineering
By Norman S. Nise

2- Modern Control Engineering,

By K. Ogata, Pearson Education,
Latest Edition

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