User setup for an HVAC remote control unit

A portable wireless remote control unit for use in conjunction with an HVAC system, wherein the thermostat of the HVAC system is configured to communicate with and control one or more HVAC components of the HVAC system, the portable wireless remote control unit comprising:

• a wireless interface;
• a touch screen display;
• a controller in communication with the wireless interface and the touch screen display, the controller configured to communicate with the thermostat of the HVAC system via the wireless interface;
• the controller further configured to execute a user setup routine for entering user setup information for the portable wireless remote control unit, the user setup routine causing the controller to display on the a touch screen display a sequence of two or more user setup screens, wherein each of the two or more user setup screens includes:
• a message center that indicates a parameter or function to be set via the corresponding user setup screen;
• one or more parameter adjustment/selection buttons for adjusting or selecting the parameter or function indicated in the message center;
• a next button to advance the user setup routine to a next screen in the sequence of user setup screens;
• and
• wherein one of the two or more user setup screens relates to removing an HVAC zone from being referenced and displayed on the touch screen display of the portable wireless remote control unit.

An HVAC Control system for controlling an HVAC system, comprising:

• a thermostat in communication with and controlling one or more HVAC components of the HVAC system, the thermostat including a wireless interface;
• a wireless remote control unit including:
• a memory;
• a wireless interface that is configured to communicate with the wireless interface of the thermostat;
• a user interface including a display;
• a temperature sensor for sensing an ambient temperature proximate the wireless remote control unit;
• a controller in communication with the wireless interface and the user interface of the wireless remote control unit, the controller configured to communicate with the thermostat via the wireless interface of the wireless remote control unit and the wireless interface of the thermostat;
• the controller further configured to load one or more parameters associated with the thermostat into the memory via the wireless interface of the wireless remote control unit;
• the controller further configured to display at least one of the received parameters on the display of the wireless remote control unit;
• the controller further configured to allow a user to change one or more of the parameters that are displayed on the display of the wireless remote control unit, and to send the one or more changed parameters to the thermostat via the wireless interface of the wireless remote control unit and the wireless interface of the thermostat, wherein the thermostat subsequently controls one or more HVAC components of the HVAC system in accordance with the one or more changed parameters and/or settings;
• the controller further configured to transmit the ambient temperature sensed by the temperature sensor of the wireless remote control unit to the thermostat via the wireless interface of the wireless remote control unit and the wireless interface of the thermostat, and thermostat being configured to optionally control one or more HVAC components of the HVAC system using the ambient temperature sensed by the temperature sensor of the wireless remote control unit;
• and
• the controller further configured to execute a user setup routine for entering user setup information, the user setup routine causing the controller to display on the display a sequence of two or more user setup screens, wherein each of the two or more user setup screens includes:
• a message center that indicates a parameter or function to be set via the corresponding user setup screen;
• one or more parameter adjustment/selection buttons for adjusting or selecting the parameter or function indicated in the message center;
• and
• a next button to advance the user setup routine to a next screen in the sequence of user setup screens.