EEL4657 - Dr.

Haniph Latchman
Chapter 3: Example Problems

1. Given the signal flow diagram in Figure 1, use Masons rule to find the transY (s)
fer function T (s) = X(s)

Figure 1: Signal flow diagram for example problem 1, where X(s) is the input
and Y (s) is the output
Solution

We realize that there is only one forward path from X(s) to Y (s) in the flow
diagram. This path is shown below in Figure 2:

Figure 2: The existing path in the system, P1

The total path gain, P1 , is given by:


P1 = (1)(k1 )(k2 )(G1 )(G2 )

1
s2


=

k1 k2 G1 G2
s2

There are a total of four loops in the signal flow diagram, L1 , L2 , L3 and L4 .
Each individual loop is shown in Figure 3.

Figure 3: Shown above are each of loops in the system a)L1 , b)L2 , c)L3 , d)L4

By examinining each of the individual loops, we can derive the following loop
gains:

Loop 1 :

L1 = (k1 )(k2 )(G1 )(G2 )

1
s2


(H1 ) =

k1 k2 G1 G2 H1
s2

Loop 2 :
L2 = (k2 )(G1 )(G2 )(H2 ) = k2 G1 G2 H2
Loop 3 :
L3 = (G1 )(H3 ) = G1 H3
Loop 4 :
L4 = (G1 )(G2 )(H4 ) = G1 G2 H4

After the individual path and loop gains from the signal flow diagram have
been determined, the next step is to find the determinant, 4(s).
4(s) is given by:
4(s) = 1

N
X

Ln

n=1

since there are no non-touching loops

4(s) = 1 (sum of all loop gains)

Thus,
4(s) = 1 (L1 + L2 + L3 + L4 )

=1

4(s) = 1 +

k1 k2 G1 G2 H1
s2


+ (k2 G1 G2 H2 ) + (G1 H3 ) + (G1 G2 H4 )

k1 k2 G1 G2 H1
+ k2 G1 G2 H2 + G1 H3 + G1 G2 H4
s2

Following this, we must solve for the cofactor, 4k (s).

4k (s) is defined as the cofactor of the k th path, namely the determinant D(s)
with the k th forward path removed. Since only one path exists(P1 ) and all
loops are touching this path, the cofactor 41 is given by:
41 (s) = 1 0 = 1

Finally, the transfer function can be calculated by:

P
Y (s)
Pk 4k
T (s) =
=
X(s)
4

T (s) =

P1 41
4
k 1 k2 G 1 G 2
s2

1+

s2

k1 k2 G1 G2 H1
s2

1+

(1)

+ k2 G1 G2 H2 + G1 H3 + G1 G2 H4

k1 k2 G1 G2 H1
s2

k1 k2 G1 G2


+ k2 G1 G2 H2 + G1 H3 + G1 G2 H4

k1 k2 G1 G2
s2 + k1 k2 G1 G2 H1 + k2 G1 G2 H2 s2 + G1 H3 s2 + G1 G2 H4 s2

2. For the system shown below in Figure 4, use block diagram reduction techniques to obtain a single transfer function.

Figure 4: Block diagram for problem 2

Solution
The following figures below illustrate the procedure for reducing the block diagram into a single transfer function.

Step 1: Move the pick off point between G2 and G3 . Resulting in the block
diagram below

Step 2: Combine the gains from G2 and G3

Step 3: Combine the feedback loop of G2 G3 and H1

Step 4: Combine the gains from G1 and

G2 G3
1G2 G3 H1

Step 5: By combining the feedback loop from Step 4, we are left with a block
diagram containing a single transfer function shown below

Where the transfer function T (s) is given by:

T (s) =

C(s)
G1 G2 G3
=
R(s)
1 G2 G3 H1 + G1 G2 H2

3. Use the block diagram of Figure 4, and use signal flow diagrams and Masons
rule to obtain the transfer function, T (s). Compare with the result in problem
2.

Solution
We can transform the block diagram into the signal flow graph shown below:

Figure 5: Signal Flow equivalent of the Block Diagram from Figure 4

We realize that there is only one forward path from R(s) to C(s) in the flow
diagram. This path is shown below:

The total path gain, P1

P1 = G1 G2 G3

There are only two loops, L1 and L2

Loop 1:

L1 = G2 G3 H1

Loop 2:

L2 = G1 G2 H2

The determinant can be solved by simply subtracting the sum of all the loop
gains from 1.
4 = 1 (L1 + L2 )
= 1 (G2 G3 H1 G1 G2 H2 )
4 = 1 G2 G3 H 1 + G 1 G2 H 2

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Since all of the loops touch P1 , the co-factor is given as

41 = 1 0 = 1

The transfer function can be solved using Masons formula

T (s) =

C(s) X Pk 4k
=
R(s)
4

T (s) =

P1 41
4
G 1 G2 G 3
1 G2 G 3 H1 + G1 G2 H 2

The transfer function T (s) we obtained using Signal Flow Diagrams/Masons

rule is equal to the transfer function that was determined through Block Diagram techniques.

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