TM 52271

TEKNIK PENGATURAN
(AUTOMATIC CONTROL
ENGINEERING)

MASON’S GAIN
FORMULA
Rieza Zulrian Aldio B.Eng M.Sc
 Introduction
• Alternative
method to block diagram representation,
developed by S.J.Mason.

• Advantage: the availability of a flow graph gain formula,

also called Mason’s gain formula.

• A signal-flow graph consists of a network in which nodes

are connected by directed branches.

• It depicts the flow of signals from one point of a system to

another and gives the relationships among the signals.
Note that the signal flows in only one direction.
 Definitions
• Node - a point representing a signal or variable.

• Branch – unidirectional line segment joining two nodes.

• Path – a branch or a continuous sequence of branches

that can be traversed from one node to another node.

• Loop – a closed path that originates and terminates on

the same node and along the path no node is met twice.

• Nontouching loops – two loops are said to be

nontouching if they do not have a common node.
 Mason’s Gain Formula
• A forward path: a path from input to output

• Forward path gain Mk : total product of gains along the path

• A loop is a closed path in which you can start at any point,

follow the arrows, and come back to the same point

• A loop gain Li: total product of gains along a loop

• Loop i and loop j are non-touching if they do not share any

nodes or branches
 Corresponding
Signal-flow graph of block diagram
interconnected system

a11 x1  a12 x2  r1  x1 Signal-flow graph

of two algebraic
a21 x1  a22 x2  r2  x2
equations
 • The determinant Δ:

  1   Li   Li  L j   L L L   L L L L
i j k i j k m  ...
all i all non touching all n.t . all n.t .
pairs of loops 3loops 4 loops

• Δk: The determinant of the S.F.G. after

removing the k-th forward path

• Mason’s Gain formula:

yo M k  k
I O T .F .   
yi all forward 
path k
 Systematic Approach
1. Calculate forward path transfer function Pk for each
forward path k
2. Calculate all loop transfer functions
3. Consider nontouching loops 2 at a time
4. Consider nontouching loops 3 at a time
5. Repeat if there are more nontouching loops
6. Calculate Δ from steps 2,3,4 and 5
7. Calculate Δk as portion of Δ not touching forward path k
Get T.F. from N to y
G1 N
1 forward path: N y G3 1
x z
M=1 y
R 1 G2
2 loops: L1 = -H1G3 -H1
-1
L2 = -G2G3
0
  1   Li   Li  L j  1  G3 H1  G2G3
all N .T .

Δ1: remove nodes N, y, and branch N y

All loops broken:  Δ1 = 1
y M k  k M 11 1 1
   
N    1  G3 H1  G2G3
Get T.F. from R to y
2 f.p.: R x z y : M1=G2G3
R z y : M2=G1G3
2 loops: L1 = -G3H1
L2 = -G2G3
0

  1   Li   Li  L j  1  G3 H1  G2G3
all N .T .
Δ1: remove M1 and compute Δ
Δ1 = 1
Δ2: remove M2 and compute Δ
Δ2 = 1

y M k k Mk G2G3  G1G3
H    
R   1  G3 H1  G2G3

Overall:
G2G3  G1G3 1
y R N
1  G3 H1  G2G3 1  G3 H1  G2G3
 H4
H6

H1 H2 H3

H5 H7

Forward path:
M1 = H1 H2 H3
M2 = H4
Loops:
L1 = H1 H5
L2 = H2 H6 L1 and L3 are non-touching
L3 = H3 H7
L4 = H4 H7 H6 H5
   1  L i  L1 L3
 1  H1 H 5  H 2 H 6  H 3 H 7  H 4 H 7 H 6 H 5
 H1 H 5 H 3 H 7
Δ1: If M1 is taken out, all loops are broken.
therefore Δ1 = 1
Δ2: If M2 is taken out, the loop in the middle (L2) is still
there.
therefore Δ2 = 1 – L2 = 1 – H2H6
Total T.F.:
M k  k M 1  M 2 (1  H 2 H 6 )
H  
 
H1 H 2 H 3  H 4  H 4 H 2 H 6

1  H1 H 5  H 2 H 6  H 3 H 7  H 4 H 7 H 6 H 5  H1 H 5 H 3 H 7
 Example
• Obtain the mason’s gain of this signal flow graph !
Solution
 Example

• Find the output and input ratio !

G4
 Solution
Here K =2

• Individual loops
L1 = - G2H1
L2 = G1G2H1
• Forward paths
P1 = G1G2G3 G4
P2 = G4

• There are no two non touching loops

Δ = 1 – (L1 +L2+L3) = 1 – (- G1H2 + G1G2H1)

= 1 + G1H2 - G1G2H1
• Δ1 = 1
• Δ2 = 1
Solution
 Exercise
Find the value by using mason gain formula
Task
Task