A categorization of these constitutive relations allows further categorization of

the nodes and simpler and more generic labeling. While still making no relation to
port-based modeling, these categories will be quite general and when the connection
to port-based modeling is made further restrictions can be made, highly depending on the modeling level though, as will be explained when discussing modeling
itself. All categories allow the presence of an arbitrary number of outputs (meaning
nothing else than making a variable available as independent variable at an input
of another multiport). An arbitrary number of inputs is also allowed: this has been
introduced already as modulation (modulated multiport) and each signal is a modulation signal or modulating signal. Note that one can also consider a multiport as
being a node with an arbitrary number of inputs and an arbitrary number of outputs
1 Concept-Oriented Modeling of Dynamic Behavior 11

of which a number (
n
) of inputs are conjugated (paired) to
n
outputs while leaving
the question open which of the variables in a pair gets the role of input or output as
long as the relation is bilateral, i.e., one input and one output. These bilateral pairs
are represented by the (power) ports and the other inputs and outputs by the signal
ports.
Earlier we noted that in a design context the constitutive relation can be
chosen as the unknown, requiring both effort and flow as inputs, which violates the above use of the causal stroke. This refers to the situation that when
a given model structure is found, the equations can be rewritten in such a way
that the constitutive relation, mostly the constitutive parameter, can be found
for a certain desired behavior. The mathematical solution of this kind of question is sometimes mapped on the bond graph by using half causal strokes at
both sides of a bond. This graphical approach is addressed by the terminology
bi-causality and is discussed in more detail in
Chapters 5
and
6
. However, since
it is not clear what the graphical representation adds to the insight of the modeler
on the contrary, it highly confuses many bond graph novices we will not discuss
bi-causality herein any further.
The above defines the principles of a bond graph even though it does not become
very useful without a classification of the node types. However, this classification is
in part a matter of taste: The more limited a set of nodes is classified, the more powerful conclusions may be drawn from a bond graph, but this also limits the possible
models that can be represented at the same time. The most common generic classification is given in the next section. This classification results in part