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ss2tf
Convert state-space representation to transfer function

Syntax
[b,a] = ss2tf(A,B,C,D) example
[b,a] = ss2tf(A,B,C,D,ni) example

Description
[b,a] = ss2tf(A,B,C,D) converts a state-space representation of a system into an equivalent transfer example
function. ss2tf returns the Laplace-transform transfer function for continuous-time systems and the Z-transform
transfer function for discrete-time systems.

example
[b,a] = ss2tf(A,B,C,D,ni) returns the transfer function that results when the nith input of a system with
multiple inputs is excited by a unit impulse.

Examples collapse all

Mass-Spring System

A one-dimensional discrete-time oscillating system consists of a unit mass, , attached to a wall by a spring of unit elastic
constant. A sensor samples the acceleration, , of the mass at Hz.

Generate 50 time samples. Define the sampling interval .

Fs = 5;
dt = 1/Fs;
N = 50;
t = dt*(0:N-1);

The oscillator can be described by the state-space equations

where is the state vector, and are respectively the position and velocity of the mass, and the matrices

A = [cos(dt) sin(dt);-sin(dt) cos(dt)];

B = [1-cos(dt);sin(dt)];
C = [-1 0];
D = 1;

The system is excited with a unit impulse in the positive direction. Use the state-space model to compute the time evolution of the
system starting from an all-zero initial state.

u = [1 zeros(1,N-1)];

x = [0;0];

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for k = 1:N
y(k) = C*x + D*u(k);
x = A*x + B*u(k);
end

Plot the acceleration of the mass as a function of time.

stem(t,y,'v','filled')
xlabel('t')

Compute the time-dependent acceleration using the transfer function H(z) to filter the input. Plot the result.

[b,a] = ss2tf(A,B,C,D);
yt = filter(b,a,u);
stem(t,yt,'d','filled')
xlabel('t')

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The transfer function of the system has an analytic expression:

Use the expression to filter the input. Plot the response.

bf = [1 -(1+cos(dt)) cos(dt)];
af = [1 -2*cos(dt) 1];
yf = filter(bf,af,u);
stem(t,yf,'o','filled')
xlabel('t')

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The result is the same in all three cases.

Two-Body Oscillator

An ideal one-dimensional oscillating system consists of two unit masses, and , confined between two walls. Each mass is
attached to the nearest wall by a spring of unit elastic constant. Another such spring connects the two masses. Sensors sample
and , the accelerations of the masses, at Hz.

Specify a total measurement time of 16 s. Define the sampling interval .

Fs = 16;
dt = 1/Fs;
N = 257;
t = dt*(0:N-1);

The system can be described by the state-space model

where is the state vector and and are respectively the location and the velocity of the -th

mass. The input vector and the output vector . The state-space matrices are

the continuous-time state-space matrices are

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and denotes an identity matrix of the appropriate size.

Ac = [0 1 0 0;-2 0 1 0;0 0 0 1;1 0 -2 0];

A = expm(Ac*dt);
Bc = [0 0;1 0;0 0;0 1];
B = Ac\(A-eye(4))*Bc;
C = [-2 0 1 0;1 0 -2 0];
D = eye(2);

The first mass, , receives a unit impulse in the positive direction.

ux = [1 zeros(1,N-1)];
u0 = zeros(1,N);
u = [ux;u0];

Use the model to compute the time evolution of the system starting from an all-zero initial state.

x = [0;0;0;0];
for k = 1:N
y(:,k) = C*x + D*u(:,k);
x = A*x + B*u(:,k);
end

Plot the accelerations of the two masses as functions of time.

stem(t,y','.')
xlabel('t')
legend('a_1','a_2')
title('Mass 1 Excited')
grid

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Convert the system to its transfer function representation. Find the response of the system to a positive unit impulse excitation on
the first mass.

[b1,a1] = ss2tf(A,B,C,D,1);
y1u1 = filter(b1(1,:),a1,ux);
y1u2 = filter(b1(2,:),a1,ux);

Plot the result. The transfer function gives the same response as the state-space model.

stem(t,[y1u1;y1u2]','.')
xlabel('t')
legend('a_1','a_2')
title('Mass 1 Excited')
grid

The system is reset to its initial configuration. Now the other mass, , receives a unit impulse in the positive direction. Compute
the time evolution of the system.

u = [u0;ux];

x = [0;0;0;0];
for k = 1:N
y(:,k) = C*x + D*u(:,k);
x = A*x + B*u(:,k);
end

Plot the accelerations. The responses of the individual masses are switched.

stem(t,y','.')
xlabel('t')
legend('a_1','a_2')
title('Mass 2 Excited')
grid

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Find the response of the system to a positive unit impulse excitation on the second mass.

[b2,a2] = ss2tf(A,B,C,D,2);
y2u1 = filter(b2(1,:),a2,ux);
y2u2 = filter(b2(2,:),a2,ux);

Plot the result. The transfer function gives the same response as the state-space model.

stem(t,[y2u1;y2u2]','.')
xlabel('t')
legend('a_1','a_2')
title('Mass 2 Excited')
grid

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Input Arguments expand all

A— State matrix
matrix

B— Input-to-state matrix
matrix

C— State-to-output matrix
matrix

D— Feedthrough matrix
matrix

ni — Input index
1 (default) | integer scalar

Output Arguments expand all

b— Transfer function numerator coefficients

vector | matrix

a— Transfer function denominator coefficients

vector

More About expand all

Transfer Function

See Also
latc2tf | sos2tf | ss2sos | ss2zp | tf2ss | zp2tf

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Introduced before R2006a

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