code: private void applyConnectionParams(final HttpMethod method) throws IOException {
          int timeout = 0;
          // see if a timeout is given for this method
          Object param = method.getParams().getParameter(HttpMethodParams.SO_TIMEOUT);
          if (param == null) {
              // if not, use the default value
              param = this.conn.getParams().getParameter(HttpConnectionParams.SO_TIMEOUT);
          }
          if (param != null) {
              timeout = ((Integer)param).intValue();
          }
          this.conn.setSocketTimeout(timeout);                    
      }
docs: Applies connection parameters specified for a given method
  
  @param method HTTP method
  
  @throws IOException if an I/O occurs setting connection parameters