private   boolean  sendATCommand(String command, String response,  int  timeOut) {
    // the other sendATCommand may never return.  This implementation
    // provides a timeOut parameter to cancel the call.
     final  String f_cmd = command;
     final  String f_rsp = response;

    Thread T =  null ;

     try  {
      Runnable r =  new  Runnable() {
         public   void  run() {
           try  {
            sendATCommand(f_cmd, f_rsp);
          }  catch  (Exception e) {
            serial.debugString( 1 , "sendATCommand: " + e.toString());
          }
        };
      };
      T =  new  Thread(r);
      T.start();
    }  catch  (Exception e) {
      serial.debugString( 1 , "sendATCommand: " + e.toString());
    }

     while  (timeOut >  0 ) {
       try  {
        Thread.currentThread().sleep( 20 );
        timeOut -=  20 ;
      }  catch  (java.lang.InterruptedException ie) {

      }

       if  (!T.isAlive()) {
         break ;
      }
    }

     if  (timeOut >  0 ) {
       if  (sendATError == false)
         return  true;
       else 
         return  false;
    }  else  {
      T.interrupt();
      serial.debugString( 4 , "Result at timeout -> " + result);
       return  false;
    }
  }