Abstract: Methods and apparatus are disclosed for improving performance of handoff in a telecommunications system having a plurality of base stations and a mobile unit in handoff communication (uplink only or in both uplink and downlink) with at least two of the base stations over at least first and second respective communications links. The first and second communications links each comprise at least one base station transceiver subsystem (BTS), at least one radio connection controller (RCC), at least one mobile switching center (MSC), and at least one transcoder or data server. The RCC checks whether a given information frame from any of the BTSs is valid. If one or more information frames is valid, then the RCC forwards a valid frame to the transcoder or a data server. If none of the received frames is valid, the RCC then decodes a R=1/n code constructed from data received from the BTSs and checks whether the decoded information frame is valid using a checksum or CRC transmitted with the information frame.

Abstract: A method for determining the ion channel activity of a substance comprises the steps of (i) expressing the substance as a heterologous protein in a host cell, and (ii) determining changes in permeability of the plasma membrane of the host cell induced by expression of the heterologous protein. A screening method for determining ion channel modulating activity of a test substance is also disclosed.

Abstract: A cellular telephone system includes a packet-switched digital data communication subsystem overlaying a circuit-switched (e.g., voice) communication subsystem, with voice and data services sharing the same voice channels. The voice communication subsystem provides voice services independently of the operation of the data communication subsystem. On the other hand, the data communication subsystem monitors use of the voice channels for voice communication, and, in response thereto, temporarily allocates one or more of the available voice channels for data service. In a preferred embodiment, each data basestation transmits, from time to time, an available-channel signature to identify those, if any, of the data-allocated channels that are not then being used to transmit voice or data.

Abstract: A cellular telephone system includes a packet-switched digital data communication subsystem overlaying a circuit-switched (e.g., voice) communication subsystem, with voice and data services sharing the same voice channels. The voice communication subsystem provides voice services independently of the operation of the data communication subsystem. On the other hand, the data communication subsystem monitors use of the voice channels for voice communication, and, in response thereto, temporarily allocates one or more of the available voice channels for data service. In a preferred embodiment, each data basestation transmits, from time to time, an available-channel signature to identify those, if any, of the data-allocated channels that are not then being used to transmit voice or data.