Abstract: A music search system easily operable by a user to search for a musical piece with accuracy, a method for operating the system, and a recording medium for use with the system. A plurality of music search factors can be successively input to the system, and one or more candidate pieces are presented based on effective inputs in the input music search factors. A user can efficiently supply the system with various sorts of music search information, and can obtain an optimal search result by using a search method particularly suitable for search by each sort of information. Input score information is reproduced according to the input operation, so that the user can immediately confirm most ambiguous score information when using the score information as search information, thereby reducing the probability of the system making an unnecessary search.

Abstract: An ink jet printing apparatus having liquid passages arranged for causing liquid to flow while coming in contact with ink jet heads includes a liquid accumulating section for accumulating liquid therein, a pump for feeding the liquid, a first connecting passage for connecting the liquid accumulating section to inlet portions of the liquid passages, a second connecting passage for connecting outlet portions of the liquid passages to the suction side of the pump, and a third connecting passage for connecting the liquid accumulating section to the pump discharge side. With such construction, cooling liquid W of which temperature is controlled in the liquid accumulating section is fed to the liquid passages with negative pressure.

Abstract: A printing apparatus has a printing head which is subjected to environmental temperature variation and generates a large amount of heat. Stable ejection of a printing liquid can be constantly performed by temperature control of the printing head. The printing apparatus having the printing head therein includes a fluid passage provided in contact with the head, a fluid supply device for supplying a fluid to the fluid passage, and a heater for controlling temperature of the supplied fluid to maintain the temperature of the fluid within a predetermined range. The printing head is provided with a water tube for cooling water, which water tube gradually varies its cross sectional area. By this, flow velocity of the cooling water is gradually increased on the upstream side and maintained to have a large constant flow velocity on the downstream side.

Abstract: A device for detecting the light transmissivity of an object to be detected comprises a light emitting element and a light receiving element which are opposed to each other across the detected object. The device is arranged to cause the light emitting element to intermittently emit a light and to detect the light transmissivity of said detected object on the basis of a detection signal obtained from the light receiving element when the light is emitted by the light emitting element and another detection signal obtained from the light receiving element when no light is emitted by the light emitting element.