Lecture 3

Transfer Function and system’s stability

 Transfer Function
• Transfer Function is the ratio of Laplace transform of the
output to the Laplace transform of the input. Considering
all initial conditions to zero.

u(t) y(t)
Plant

If u (t ) U ( S ) and
y (t ) Y ( S )
• Where is the Laplace operator.
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 Transfer Function
• Then the transfer function G(S) of the plant is given
as
Y (S )
G(S ) 
U (S )

U(S) G(S) Y(S)

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 Why Laplace Transform?
• By use of Laplace transform we can convert many
common functions into algebraic function of complex
variable s.
• For example

sint  2 2
s 
Or 1
 at
e 
sa

• Where s is a complex variable (complex frequency) and

is given as s   j 4
 Laplace Transform of
Derivatives
• In general

n
d x(t ) n n 1 n 1
 n
 s X (S )  s x(0)    x (0 )
dt

• Where x(0)is the initial condition of the system.

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Example: RC Circuit

• u is the input voltage applied at t=0

• y is the capacitor voltage

• If the capacitor is not already charged then y(0)=0.

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Laplace Transform of Integrals

1
x(t )dt  X (S )
s

• The time domain integral becomes division by

s in frequency domain.

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Calculation of the Transfer
Function
• Consider the following ODE where y(t) is input of the system
and x(t) is the output.
d 2 x(t ) dy(t ) dx(t )
A C  B
• or dt 2 dt dt

Ax''(t ) Cy'(t )  Bx'(t )

• Taking the Laplace transform on either sides

A[s 2 X (s )  sx(0)  x'(0)] C[sY (s )  y(0)]  B[sX (s )  x(0)]

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 Calculation of the Transfer
Function
A[s 2 X (s )  sx(0)  x'(0)] C[sY (s )  y(0)]  B[sX (s )  x(0)]

• Considering Initial conditions to zero in order to find the transfer

function of the system

As 2 X (s ) CsY (s )  BsX (s )
• Rearranging the above equation

As 2 X (s )  BsX (s ) CsY (s )
X (s )[ As 2  Bs ] CsY (s )
X (s ) Cs C
 2 
Y (s ) As  Bs As  B 9
 Example
1. Find out the transfer function of the RC network shown in figure-1.
Assume that the capacitor is not initially charged.

Figure-1

2. u(t) and y(t) are the input and output respectively of a system defined by
following ODE. Determine the Transfer Function. Assume there is no any
energy stored in the system.

6u''(t )  3u(t )  y(t )dt   3 y'''(t )  y(t )

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 Transfer Function
• In general

• Where x is the input of the system and y is the output of

the system.

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Transfer Function

• When order of the denominator polynomial is greater

than the numerator polynomial the transfer function is
said to be ‘proper’.

• Otherwise ‘improper’

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Transfer Function

• Transfer function helps us to check

• The stability of the system

• Time domain and frequency domain characteristics of the

system

• Response of the system for any given input

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Stability of Control System
• There are several meanings of stability, in general
there are two kinds of stability definitions in control
system study.

• Absolute Stability

• Relative Stability

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Stability of Control System

• Roots of denominator polynomial of a transfer

function are called ‘poles’.

• And the roots of numerator polynomials of a transfer

function are called ‘zeros’.

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Stability of Control System
• Poles of the system are represented by ‘x’ and zeros
of the system are represented by ‘o’.
• System order is always equal to number of poles of
the transfer function.
• Following transfer function represents nth order plant.

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Stability of Control System
• Poles is also defined as “it is the frequency at which
system becomes infinite”. Hence the name pole
where field is infinite.

• And zero is the frequency at which system becomes 0.

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 Stability of Control System
• Poles is also defined as “it is the frequency at which
system becomes infinite”.
• Like a magnetic pole or black hole.

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Relation b/w poles and zeros and frequency
response of the system
• The relationship between poles and zeros and the frequency
response of a system comes alive with this 3D pole-zero plot.

Single pole system

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Relation b/w poles and zeros and frequency
response of the system
• 3D pole-zero plot
• System has 1 ‘zero’ and 2 ‘poles’.

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Relation b/w poles and zeros and
frequency response of the system

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Example
• Consider the Transfer function calculated in previous
slides.
X (s ) C
G(s )  
Y (s ) As  B

the denominato r polynomial is As  B 0

• The only pole of the system is

B
s 
A

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 Examples
• Consider the following transfer functions.
• Determine
• Whether the transfer function is proper or improper
• Poles of the system
• zeros of the system
• Order of the system

s 3 s
)i G(s )  )ii G(s ) 
s( s  2 ) (s  1)(s  2 )(s  3)

(s  3)2 s 2 (s  1)
)iii G(s )  )iv G( s ) 
s(s 2  10) s(s  10)
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