Lecture Notes of Control Systems I - ME 431/Analysis and Synthesis of Linear Control System - ME862

Note 4
Block Diagrams

Department of Mechanical Engineering, University Of Saskatchewan, 57 Campus Drive, Saskatoon, SK S7N 5A9, Canada

Lecture Notes of Control Systems I - ME 431/Analysis and Synthesis of Linear Control System - ME862

1. Basic Components
In the previous section the concept of a transfer function for a linear time-invariant system was
presented. By definition the transfer function is the ratio of the Laplace transform of the output
variable to the Laplace transform of the input variable. Let X(s) be the (Laplace transform of
the) input variable, Y(s) be the output variable, and G(s) be the transfer function. One method
of graphically denoting the relationship Y(s) = X(s)U(s) is through a block diagram, as shown
in the following figure. The block represents a transfer function corresponding to a systems
mathematical model and the arrows represent signals (e.g. electrical voltage from a position
sensor).

X(s)
G(s)

Y(s)

Many systems are composed of multiple subsystems. When multiple subsystems are
interconnected, a few more schematic elements must be added to the block diagram. These new
elements are summing junctions and pickoff points. All component parts of a block diagram
for a linear time-invariant system are shown in the following figure. The characteristic of the
summing junction is that the output signal is the algebraic sum of the input signals. The figure
shows three inputs, but any number can be present. A pickoff point distributes the input signals
to several output points.

Department of Mechanical Engineering, University Of Saskatchewan, 57 Campus Drive, Saskatoon, SK S7N 5A9, Canada

Lecture Notes of Control Systems I - ME 431/Analysis and Synthesis of Linear Control System - ME862

2. Common Forms
There are three basic common forms, by which the subsystems are connected together. They
are cascade form, parallel form, and feedback form.
The following figure shows an example of cascaded subsystems. Intermediate signal values are
shown at the output of each subsystem. Each signal is obtained from the product of the input
and the transfer function. The equivalent transfer function is the product of the subsystems
transfer functions.

An example of parallel subsystems is shown in the following figure. The output is the algebraic
sum of the outputs from all of the subsystems; and the equivalent transfer function is the
algebraic sum of the subsystems transfer functions.

Department of Mechanical Engineering, University Of Saskatchewan, 57 Campus Drive, Saskatoon, SK S7N 5A9, Canada

Lecture Notes of Control Systems I - ME 431/Analysis and Synthesis of Linear Control System - ME862

The third configuration of block diagram is the feedback form. One of the examples is shown
in the following figure.

R(s)

E(s)

C(s)
G(s)

H(s)

Suppose the Laplace transform of the error is denoted by E(s). We have

E ( s) = R( s) C ( s) H ( s)
Substituting the above equation in the equation of C ( s ) = E ( s )G ( s) , one has

C ( s ) = R( s)G ( s) C ( s ) H ( s)G ( s )

Solving for C(s)/R(s) from the above equation yields

C (s)
G (s)
=
R( s ) 1 + G ( s ) H ( s )
This is the equivalent, or closed-loop, transfer function of the feedback system. So the
system can be represented by using the following block diagram.

R(s)

G (s)
1 + G (s) H (s)

C(s)

The product G(s)H(s), is called the open-loop transfer function, which relates the error to the
feedback.

Department of Mechanical Engineering, University Of Saskatchewan, 57 Campus Drive, Saskatoon, SK S7N 5A9, Canada

Lecture Notes of Control Systems I - ME 431/Analysis and Synthesis of Linear Control System - ME862

Examples
Reduce each of the block diagrams shown in the following figures to a single transfer function.

R(s)

+
_

G1(s)

G2 (s)

H1 (s)

H2 (s)

C(s)

(a)

G6(s)

+
+

R(s)

G1

+
_

G2

G4 (s)

G5(s)

C(s)

_
H2 (s)

G3(s)

H1

(b)

Department of Mechanical Engineering, University Of Saskatchewan, 57 Campus Drive, Saskatoon, SK S7N 5A9, Canada