Topic: Signal Flow Graph (SFG) and Mason’s Gain Formula

Introduction to Signal Flow Graph (SFG)

• Alternative method to block diagram representation, developed by Samuel Jefferson Mason.

• Advantage: the availability of a flow graph gain formula, also called Mason’s gain formula.

• A signal-flow graph consists of a network in which nodes are connected by directed branches.

• It depicts the flow of signals from one point of a system to another and gives the relationships among
the signals.

30/04/2021 33
 Fundamentals of Signal Flow Graphs
• Consider a simple equation below and draw its signal flow graph:
y  ax
• The signal flow graph of the equation is shown below;

a y
x

• Every variable in a signal flow graph is designed by a Node.

• Every transmission function in a signal flow graph is designed by a
Branch.
• Branches are always unidirectional.
• The arrow in the branch denotes the direction of the signal flow.
30/04/2021 34
 Signal-Flow Graph Models

Y1( s ) G11( s )  R1( s )  G12( s )  R2( s )

Y2( s ) G21( s )  R1( s )  G22( s )  R2( s )

30/04/2021 35
 Signal-Flow Graph Models
r1 and r2 are inputs and x1 and x2 are outputs

a11 x1  a12 x2  r1 x1

a21 x1  a22 x2  r2 x2

30/04/2021 36
 Signal-Flow Graph Models

xo is input and x4 is output

x1  ax0  bx1  cx2 f

x2  dx1  ex3 c
x0 a x1 d x2 g x3 h x4
x3  fx0  gx2
x4  hx3 b e

30/04/2021 37
 Construct the signal flow graph for the following set of
simultaneous equations.

• There are four variables in the equations (i.e., x1,x2,x3,and x4)

therefore four nodes are required to construct the signal flow graph.
• Arrange these four nodes from left to right and connect them with
the associated branches.

• Another way to arrange

this graph is shown in
the figure.
30/04/2021 38
 Terminologies
• An input node or source contain only the outgoing branches. i.e., X1
• An output node or sink contain only the incoming branches. i.e., X4
• A path is a continuous, unidirectional succession of branches along which
no node is passed more than ones. i.e.,
X1 to X2 to X3 to X4 X1 to X2 to X4 X2 to X3 to X4
• A forward path is a path from the input node to the output node. i.e.,
X1 to X2 to X3 to X4 , and X1 to X2 to X4 , are forward paths.
• A feedback path or feedback loop is a path which originates and
terminates on the same node. i.e.; X2 to X3 and back to X2 is a feedback
path.

30/04/2021 39
 Terminologies
• A self-loop is a feedback loop consisting of a single branch. i.e.; A33 is a self
loop.
• The gain of a branch is the transmission function of that branch.
• The path gain is the product of branch gains encountered in traversing a path.
i.e. the gain of forwards path X1 to X2 to X3 to X4 is A21A32A43
• The loop gain is the product of the branch gains of the loop. i.e., the loop gain
of the feedback loop from X2 to X3 and back to X2 is A32A23.

• Two loops, paths, or loop and a path are said to be non-touching if they have
no nodes in common.

30/04/2021 40
 Consider the signal flow graph below and identify the
following

a) Input node.
b) Output node.
c) Forward paths.
d) Feedback paths (loops).
e) Determine the loop gains of the
feedback loops.
f) Determine the path gains of the forward
paths.
g) 30/04/2021
Non-touching loops 41
 Consider the signal flow graph below and identify the following

• There are two forward path

gains;

30/04/2021 42
 Consider the signal flow graph below and identify the following

• There are four loops

30/04/2021 43
 Consider the signal flow graph below and identify the following

• Nontouching loop
gains;

30/04/2021 44
Consider the signal flow graph below and identify the following

a) Input node.
b) Output node.
c) Forward paths.
d) Feedback paths.
e) Self loop.
f) Determine the loop gains of the
feedback loops.
g) Determine the path gains of the forward
paths.
30/04/2021 45
 Input and output Nodes

a) Input node

b) Output node

30/04/2021 46
 (c) Forward Paths

30/04/2021 47
 (d) Feedback Paths or Loops

30/04/2021 48
 (d) Feedback Paths or Loops

30/04/2021 49
 (d) Feedback Paths or Loops

30/04/2021 50
 (d) Feedback Paths or Loops

30/04/2021 51
 (e) Self Loop(s)

30/04/2021 52
 (f) Loop Gains of the Feedback Loops

30/04/2021 53
 (g) Path Gains of the Forward Paths

30/04/2021 54
 Mason’s Rule (Mason, 1953)
• The block diagram reduction technique requires successive
application of fundamental relationships in order to arrive at the
system transfer function.
• On the other hand, Mason’s rule for reducing a signal-flow graph
to a single transfer function requires the application of one formula.
• The formula was derived by S. J. Mason when he related the
signal-flow graph to the simultaneous equations that can be written
from the graph.

30/04/2021 55
 Mason’s Rule:
• The transfer function, C(s)/R(s), of a system represented by a signal-flow graph
is;
n

C (s) P  k k
 k 1

R( s ) 
Where

n = number of forward paths.

Pk = the k th forward-path gain.
∆ = Determinant of the system
∆k = Determinant of that portion of SFG which is not touching the kth forward path
• ∆ is called the signal flow graph determinant or characteristic function. Since
∆=0 is the system characteristic equation.

30/04/2021 56
 Mason’s Rule:
n

C ( s) P  k k
 k 1

R(s ) 
∆ = 1- (sum of all individual loop gains) + (sum of gain products of all
possible combination of two non touching loops) – (sum of gain products of
all possible combination of three non touching loops) + … and so forth with
sums of higher number of non-touching loop gains

∆k = value of Δ for the part of the block diagram that does not touch the k-
th forward path (∆k = 1 if there are no non-touching loops to the k-th path.)

30/04/2021 57
 Systematic approach

1. Calculate forward path gain Pk for each forward

path k.
2. Calculate all loop transfer functions
3. Consider non-touching loops 2 at a time
4. Consider non-touching loops 3 at a time etc
5. Calculate Δ from steps 2,3,4 and 5
6. Calculate ∆k as portion of Δ not touching forward
path k

30/04/2021 58
 Example#1: Apply Mason’s Rule to calculate the transfer function of
the system represented by following Signal Flow Graph

Therefore, C P11  P2  2

R 
There are three feedback loops
L1  G1G4 H1 , L2  G1G2 G4 H 2 , L3  G1G3G4 H 2
30/04/2021 59
 Example#1: Apply Mason’s Rule to calculate the transfer function of
the system represented by following Signal Flow Graph

There are no non-touching loops, therefore

∆ = 1- (sum of all individual loop gains)

  1  L1  L2  L3 

  1  G1G4 H 1  G1G2 G4 H 2  G1G3G4 H 2 

30/04/2021 60
 Example#1: Apply Mason’s Rule to calculate the transfer function of
the system represented by following Signal Flow Graph

Eliminate forward path-1

∆1 = 1- (sum of all individual loop gains)+...
∆1 = 1

Eliminate forward path-2

∆2 = 1- (sum of all individual loop gains)+...
∆2 = 1
30/04/2021 61
 Example#1: Continue

30/04/2021 62