This program computes the time domain impulse response of a system represented
by its poles and zeroes on the complex s plane, using the inverse Laplace transform.
It also optionally computes the poles and zeroes of the system with feedback applied,
and shows the impulse response of that. The closed loop poles and zeroes display
and the time plot display are updated instantly as system roots are dragged around
the s-plane.
If the preceding paragraph means nothing to you, click
here.
The Display area
The display area is divided into 4 quadrants. The upper left hand quadrant is
the input panel. This is used to enter and move the system poles and zeroes. Poles
are represented by 'X's, zeroes by 'O's. The upper right quadrant is the text/control
panel. The left hand side of the text/control panel consists of the feedback gain
slider. Feedback gain can be adjusted from -40 to +40 dB. The remainder of the
text/control panel consists of the buttons used to control the program, and a
text area which can optionally be used to show the values of the roots and other
system parameters. The lower left hand quadrant is the closed loop panel. This
shows the locations of the poles and zeroes of the system when feedback is added
to the open loop system, with proportional gain as set by the gain slider. The
lower right hand quadrant is the time plot panel. This shows the impulse response
of the system, either open loop or closed loop, as selected by the 'closed loop'
checkbox.
Panel scale and auto ranging
The input panel has a fixed dimension of +/- 5 by 5 reciprocal time units. The
closed loop panel scale expands as required to show all roots. When this occurs,
the yellow rectangle border shrinks to show the equivalent scale of the input
panel. The time plot display range is calculated automatically whenever roots
are created, and, in analysis mode, when a mouse click occurs in the input panel
with nothing selected.
The Text/Control Panel
Most of these commands are self-explanatory. The numerical value of the feedback
gain is shown. If the closed loop checkbox is unchecked, the time plot panel shows
the impulse response of the open loop system (the closed loop roots are calculated
nonetheless). In the add pole and add zero modes, mouse clicks in the input panel
create poles and zeroes. Each click creates one complex conjugate pair of roots,
or, if close to the horizontal axis, one real root. In analysis mode, individual
roots can be selected and dragged around the s-plane, in the usual manor. The
closed loop and time plot panels are updated instantly as roots are moved, creating
the most interesting visual affect of this program. Check the auto update text
box to show values of system parameters at the bottom of the text/control panel.
Restart program erases all the system roots.
Test and Diagnostic section
These functions were included to verify the mathematics classes. The complex arithmetic
labels are always active, taking as input arguments the most recent mouse click
and the current mouse location in the input panel. If polynomial test mode is
selected, input panel mouse clicks create roots of the test polynomial. The time
plot panel shows the polynomial representation as a summation of non-negative
powers of s, multiplied by real coefficients, shown in bar graph form. The closed
loop panel shows the polynomial converted back from coefficient form to root form
(demonstrating the complex polynomial root solver). Root selection and dragging
is unavailable in polynomial test mode.
Theory of operation (summarized)
The open loop transfer function is represented as a ratio of polynomials in s,
N(s) / D(s). The system zeroes are the roots of N(s), and the poles
are the roots of D(s). When the output is multiplied by a gain k, and subtracted
from the input (applying feedback), the transfer function becomes N(s) / (D(s)
+ kN(s)). To perform this calculation the polynomials are converted into coefficient
format, added appropriately, and then put to the root solver, to solve for the
poles of the system with feedback. (Note that the zeroes are unchanged.) This
is done by Laguerr's method, as shown in 'Numerical Recipes in C'. Partial fraction
expansion is used to convert the transfer function into a summation of individual
coefficients divided by individual root terms. At this time systems with repeated
roots or with more or same number of zeroes than poles are not supported. The
inverse Laplace transform is used to convert these terms into the corresponding
time domain functions, the summation of which is shown in the time plot display,
the impulse response of the transfer function. The time plot time axis range is
set as a multiple of the smallest time constant of the system. The time plot magnitude
range is set as the biggest amplitude seen in the first half of the plot.
For the non-technically inclined
This program uses a GUI to create an interactive engineering simulation. You
might find the generated graphics interesting even if you don't have an understanding
of what is represented. To create some interesting functions with minimal effort,
do the following:
Click the mouse twice in the upper left quadrant. Little X's should
appear where you click. These are the system 'poles'.
In the upper right quadrant, check the 'set mode: analysis' checkbox.
Back in the upper left quadrant, select and drag the poles. Observe how
the contents of the lower quadrants shift as you do so.
More things to try
Check the Mode: add zeroes box. Zeroes are represented by 'O's. Although
the limit of the number of zeroes or poles you can add is very high (about
50), the most interesting results are obtained with no more than a few of
each.
Adjust the feedback gain slider. This is the vertical slider in between
the upper left and right quadrants.
Click on the Restart program button to eliminate all the poles and zeroes
and start over.
If the line on the lower right quadrant (the 'time plot panel') becomes
nothing more than a horizontal line, make sure that 'select mode: analysis'
is checked and click twice in the input panel, away from any poles and zeroes.