Chapter 3

Block Diagrams
& Signal Flow Graphs
Block Diagram
A control system may consists of a number of components. To show the functions
performed by each component, in control engineering, we commonly use a diagram
called the block diagram.

Open Loop

X3
X 3 = G1G2 X 1  = G1G2 = O.L.T .F
X1
Block Diagram
Closed Loop
E

Negative feedback

Positive feedback

X 2 = GE
X2 G
 = = C.L.T .F
X 1 1  GH
E = X1  X 2 H
Signal Flow Graph
Signal flow graph method is a method for determining the relation between system
variables which allows finding the transfer function of a system without requiring any
reduction procedure. This method has been developed by Mason.

Block Diagram

Signal Flow Graph

A system is represented by a branch, namely, a line with an arrow showing the

direction of the signal flow. On the other hand, a signal is represented by a node.
Signal Flow Graph

Signal Flow Graph

Block Diagram

Y1 (s ) = R1 (s )G11 (s ) + R2 (s )G12 (s )
Y2 (s ) = R1 (s )G21 (s ) + R2 (s )G22 (s )

For simple graph the transfer function can be obtained easily by inspection. For more
complicated signal flow graphs, Mason’s gain formula is quite useful.
Mason’s Formula
It is possible to write the overall transfer function of a system through inspection of
signal flow graph, SFG, using Mason’s gain formula given by:

P k k
T .F . = k

Where
K number of forward paths
PK the Kth forward path gain
 determinate of the graph

N M ,Q R, S , P
 = 1 −  Ln +  Lm Lq − L L L r s p + ......
n =1 m =1 r =1
q =1 s =1
p =1
Mason’s Formula
N

L
n =1
n Sum of all different loop gains

M ,Q

L
m =1
m Lq Sum of the gain products of all possible combination of two non-

q =1 touching loops

R, S , P

L L L
r =1
r s p Sum of the gain products of all possible combination of three non-
s =1 touching loops
p =1
Mason’s Formula

Note: the alternating sign of the components of 

K =  -  loop gain terms in  that touch the Kth forward path. In other words, K is
formed by eliminating from  those loop gains that touch the Kth forward path

Steps
1- Forward paths and their gains.
2- Feedback loops and their gains.
3- Non-touching loops and ∑ LL, ∑ LLL, ……….
4- Determination of .
5- K =  excluding loops touching path K.
6- Apply Mason’s formula.
Mason’s Formula
Signal Flow Graph Models

A loop is a closed path that originates and

terminates on the same node, with no node
being met twice along the path.
Mason’s Formula
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 in the direction of signal flow.

There are 2 forward-path gains:

Mason’s Formula
Non-touching Loops
Loops that do not have any nodes in common
Mason’s Formula
Non-touching Loops Gain
The product of loop gains from nontouching loops taken two, three, four, or
more at a time

Gains of non-touching-loops taken two at a time are

Mason’s Formula
Example 1 – Transfer Function via Mason’s Formula

Solution – Step 1: Identify

Forward-Path Gains

There are two:

Step 2: Identify the Loop Gains

There are four:
Mason’s Formula
Step 3: Gains of Nontouching Loops taken 2 at a time

Loops Gains

Step 4: Nontouching Loops taken 3 at a time

None
Mason’s Formula

None
Mason’s Formula
Mason’s Formula
Mason’s Formula

Step 7: Applying the Formula

Mason’s Formula

For the system shown in the attached figure:(a) draw the signal flow graph; (b)find
the transfer function c(s)/R(s) by use of Mason’s gain formula
Mason’s Formula

Forward paths
P1 = G1G2G3
Feedback loops and their gains
L1 = −G1G2G3
L2 = G1G2 H1
L3 = −G2G3 H 2
Mason’s Formula
All three loops have a common branch,
there are no non-touching loops. Therefore,
 = 1 − (L1 + L2 + L3 )
= 1 − (− G1G2G3 + G1G2 H1 − G2G3 H 2 )
= 1 + G1G2G3 + G2G3 H 2 − G1G2 H1
The cofactor 1 of the determinate along the forward path connecting the input
node to the output node is obtained from  by removing the loops that touch this
path. Since path P1 touches all three loops, we obtain

1 = 1
The closed-loop transfer function is given by

C (s ) P11 G1G2G3
= =
R(s )  1 − G1G2 H1 + G2G3 H 2 + G1G2G3
Mason’s Formula

For the system shown in the attached figure find the transfer function c(s)/R(s) by use
of Mason’s gain formula

Forward paths
P1 = G1G2G3G4G5
P2 = G1G6G4G5
P3 = G1G2G7
Mason’s Formula
Feedback loops and their gains

L1 = −G2G3G4G5 H 2
L2 = −G4 H1
L3 = −G2G7 H 2
L4 = −G6G4G5 H 2

Two non-touching loops L2 L3

 = 1 − (L1 + L2 + L3 + L4 ) + L2 L3
The cofactor 1 is obtained from  by removing the loops that touch this path P1.
Therefore, by removing L1, L2, L3, L4, L2 L3 from the above equation, we obtain

1 = 1
Mason’s Formula
Similarly, the cofactor 2 is

2 = 1

The cofactor 3 is obtained from  by removing the loops that touch this path P3.
Therefore, by removing L2, L3, L4, L2 L3 from the above equation, we obtain
3 = 1 − L1
The closed-loop transfer function is given by

C (s ) P11 + P2  2 + P3 3
=
R(s ) 
G1G2G3G4G5 + G1G6G4G5 + G1G2G7 (1 + G4 H1 )
=
1 + G4 H1 + G2G7 H 2 + G6G4G5 H 2 + G2G3G4G5 H 2 + G4 H1G2G7 H 2
Reduce the block diagram to a single block (find transfer function).

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