'Change the timeout period
@type period: C{int} or L{None}
@param period: The period, in seconds, to change the timeout to, or
L{None} to disable the timeout.'

def setTimeout(self, period):

    prev = self.timeOut
    self.timeOut = period
    if (self.__timeoutCall is not None):
        if (period is None):
            self.__timeoutCall.cancel()
            self.__timeoutCall = None
        else:
            self.__timeoutCall.reset(period)
    elif (period is not None):
        self.__timeoutCall = self.callLater(period, self.__timedOut)
    return prev
