Topic 7 (Signal Flow Graphs)
- Unlike block diagrams, which consist of blocks, signals, summing junction, and pickoff points, a
signal flow graph consists only of branches (systems) and nodes (signals).
- Signal flow graph is developed to enhance/simplify the solution for a transfer function which is
relatively difficult through block diagram manipulation.
- Converting common block diagrams to signal flow graphs:
Block Diagram Signal Flow Graph
X(s) Y(s) G1(s) G2(s)
G1(s) G2(s)
X(s) Y(s)
G1(s)
G1(s) + Y(s)
X(s)
+ Branch
G2(s) X(s) Y(s)
G2(s)
Node
X(s) e(s) Y(s)
+_ G1(s) 1 G1(s)
X(s) e(s) Y(s)
G2(s) – G2(s)
Example 1:
Solution:
1) Begin by drawing the signal nodes:
R(s) V1(s) V2(s) V3(s) V4(s) V5(s) C(s)
V6(s) V7(s) V8(s)
2) Interconnect the nodes by showing the direction of signal flow together with the identification of
each transfer function (branches):
1
1 G1(s) 1 G2(s) 1 G3(s)
R(s) V1(s) V2(s) V3(s) V4(s) V5(s) C(s)
1 H 2(s) H3(s)
1 1
V7(s) V8(s)
V6(s) H1(s)
3) Simplifying the signal flow graph by eliminating signals that have single flow in and single flow
out, such as V2(s), V6(s), V7(s) and V8(s):
1
1 G1(s) G2(s) 1 G3(s)
R(s) V1(s) V3(s) V4(s) V5(s) C(s)
–H3(s)
–H2(s)
–H1(s)
Mason’s Gain Formula:
Loop – a path that begins and ends at the same node without entering any node more than once
Loop gain – product of all of the branch functions in the loop
Forward path – a path from input, R(s) to output, C(s) that does not enter any node more than once
Forward path gain – product of gain found from input to output
Nontouching loops – loops that have no common nodes
Nontouching loop gain – product of loop gains from nontouching loops taken 2, 3, 4, etc., at a time
Mason’s Rule is thus given as follows:
C s
P k k
G s k
, where
R s
Pk = gain of k-th forward path
= 1 – (loop gains) + (all 2 nontouching-loop gains) – (all 3 nontouching-loop gains) + (all
4 nontouching-loop gains) – …
k = – loop gains as in that touch k-th forward path
Forward path gains: C s P1 1 P2 2
1) P1 = G1G2G3 R s
2) P2 = G1G3 G1 G 2 G 3
Loop gains:
1) L1 = –G2H2 1 G 2 H 2 G 3 H 3 G1 G 2 H 1 G 2 G 3 H 2 H 3 G1 G 2 G 3 H 1 H 3
2) L2 = –G3H3 G1 G 3
3) L3 = –G1G2H1
1 G 2 H 2 G 3 H 3 G1 G 2 H 1 G 2 G 3 H 2 H 3 G1 G 2 G 3 H 1 H 3
2 Nontouching loop gains:
1) N1 = [–G3H3] [–G2H2] C s G1 G 3 G1 G 2 G 3
2) N2 = [–G3H3] [–G1G2H1] R s 1 G 2 H 2 G 3 H 3 G 1 G 2 H 1 G 2 G 3 H 2 H 3 G 1 G 2 G 3 H 1 H 3
**There are no 3 or 4 nontouching loop gains
= 1 – [L1 + L2 + L3] + [N1 + N2]
= 1 – [–G2H2 – G3H3 – G1G2H1] + [G2G3H2H3 + G1G2G3H1H3]
= 1 + G2H2 + G3H3 + G1G2H1 + G2G3H2H3 + G1G2G3H1H3
1 = 1
2 = 1
Example 2:
Obtain the transfer function for the system as shown in Fig. 1 as follows.
G1(s) G2(s) G3(s) G4(s) G5(s)
R(s) C(s)
H1(s) H2(s)
G6(s)
G8(s)
G7(s)
H3(s)
Fig. 1: Signal flow graph of a control system
Question:
Draw the signal flow graphs for the control systems as shown in Fig. 2(a) and Fig. 2(b). By using
Mason’s Rule, obtain the transfer functions for both systems.
(a)
(b)
Fig. 2: Signal flow graphs for two different systems
G1(s) G2(s) G3(s) G4(s) G5(s)
R(s) C(s)
H1(s) H2(s)
G6(s)
G8(s)
G7(s)
H3(s)
Forward Path Gains:
P1 = G1G2G3G4G5
Loop Gains:
L1 = G2H1
L2 = G4H2
L3 = G7H3
L4 = G2G3G4G5G6G7G8
2 Nontouching Loop Gains:
N1 = G2H1G4H2
N2 = G2H1G7H3
N3 = G4H2G7H3
3 Nontouching Loop Gains:
M1 = G2H1G4H2G7H3
= 1 – [L1+L2+L3+L4] + [N1+N2+N3] – [M1]
= 1 – [G2H1+G4H2+G7H3+G2G3G4G5G6G7G8]
+ [G2H1G4H2+G2H1G7H3+G4H2G7H3]
– [G2H1G4H2G7H3]
1 = 1 – G7H3
P1 1
G s
