Signal flow graphs

- alternative to block diagrams

- A pictorial representation of the simultaneous equations describing a system
- Signal flow graphs consists only of branches, which represent systems and
nodes, which represent signals

 start by drawing the signal nodes for that system

 Then interconnect the signal nodes with system branches

Example:
Find the signal flow representation of the system below:
Mason’s rule
- A technique for reducing signal-flow graphs to a single transfer function that
relates the output of a system to its input

Definitions:
 Loop gain- product of branch gains found by traversing a path that starts at a
node and ends at the same node, following the direction of the signal flow,
without passing through any other node more than once.

 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

 Nontouching loops- loops that do not have any nodes in common

 Nontouching-loop gain- the product of loop gains from non touching loops
taken two, three, four or more at a time

Mason’s rule
C(s)
The transfer function R(s) , of a system represented by a signal flow graph is
∑T ∆
C (s ) k k k
G ( s )= =
R (s ) ∆
k =¿ number of forward paths
T k =¿ the kth forward path gain
∆=1−∑ loop gains+ ∑ (nontouc h ing−loop gains takentwo at a time)−∑ (nontouc hing−loop gainstakent h r
∆ k =∆−¿ ∑
loop gain in 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

Examples: Use mason’s law to solve for the transfer function