signal flow graph is a pictorial of the simultaneous equations describing the system.

CASCADED FORM Any finite number of blocks in series may be algebraically combined by multiplication of

branch is equivalent to a block in the language of block diagrams. transfer function.

node is equivalent to a summer, with all plus signs,followed by a junction. FEEDBACK FORM Feedback path is transmission path from the controlled output back to the summing point.

ADDITION RULE The value of the variable designated by a node is equal to the sum of all signals entering the UNITY FEEDBACK FORM Is a feedback system in which the primary feedback is identically equal to the
node. In other words, the equation controlled output Y(s).

TRANSMISSION RULE The value of the variable designated by a node is transmitted on every branch leaving REDUCTION OF BLOCK DIAGRAMS By means of systematic block diagram reduction, every loop feedback
that node. Inother words, the equation system maybe reduced to canonical form.

MULTIPLICATION RULE A cascaded connection of n-1 branches with transmission functions A21, A32, . . .
An(n-1) can be replaced by s single branch with a new transmission function equal to the product of the old
ones. That is,

Path. Is a continuous, unidirectional succession of branches along which no node is passed more than once.

Input Node or Source. Is a node with only outgoing branches.

Output Node or Sink. Is a node with only incoming branches.

Feedback Path or Feedback Loop. A closed succession of branches, in the direction of the arrows, that

does not pass any node more than once.

Forward Path. Is a path from the input node to the output node.

Loop Gain. Product of the transmittances of the branches of the loop.

Touching. Loops with one or more nodes in common are touching. A loop and a path are touching if they
have a common node.

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.

Co- factor.The co-factor of the ith path, denoted by Δi, is the determinant of the signal flow formed by

deleting all loops touching path i.

Determinant The determinant of a signal flow graph is Δ = 1 – (sum of all loop gains) + (sum of products of
gains of all combinations of 2 non

touching loops) – (sum of product of gains of all combinations of 3 non touching loops)

System – Is an arrangement, set-up,collection of things or related insuch a manner as to form anentirely or

whole.

Control – Is usually taken to mean regulate, direct or, command

Control System Is an arrangement of physical components connected or related in such a manner as to

command, direct, or regulate itself or another system.

plant is an aggregation of various small units (called sub-units) that interact with each other in a logical
manner so as to operates as an entire system. The

A controller is an agent (device/human) that offers control action on the plant.

A system may be of:

Single-Input Single-Output (SISO)

Multiple-Input Single-Output (MISO)

Single- Input Multiple-Output (SIMO)

Multiple-Input Multiple-Output (MIMO)

NATURE OF CONTROL SYSTEMS

Manual control systems

Semi-automatic control systems

Automatic control systems

MANUAL CONTROL SYSTEMS Possess an operator as the controller. The control system is regulated through
human intervention. Examples: operation of lathe machine in mechanical workshop; human operated stage
lighting control system

INPUT Is the stimulus or excitation applied to a control system from an energy source usually in order to
produce a specified response from the control system.

OUTPUT Is the actual response obtained from a control system. It may or may not be equal to thespecified
response implied by the input.

OPEN LOOP CONTROL SYSTEM Is one in which the control action is somehow dependent on the output.Is
one in which the control action is independent of the output

CLOSED LOOP CONTROL SYSTEM Is one in which the control action is somehow dependent on the output.

FEEDBACK Is that property of a closed loop system which permits the output (or some other controlled
variable) to be compared with the input to the system

block is used to indicate a proportional relationship between two Laplaced transformed signals.

summer is used to show additions and subtractions of signals

junction (sometimes termed a “pickoff points”) indicates that theBsame signal is to go several places.