Patent ID: 8387892

Claim:
A portable wireless remote control unit for use in conjunction with one or more wireless thermostats for controlling an HVAC system, the wireless remote control unit comprising: a wireless interface for communicating with the one or more wireless thermostats; a display; a controller in communication with the wireless interface and the display, the controller configured to communicate with the one or more wireless thermostats of the HVAC system via the wireless interface; a controller memory; a first set of one or more menu screens corresponding to a zoned HVAC system having two or more wireless thermostats and a second set of one or more menu screens corresponding to a non-zoned HVAC system having only one wireless thermostat stored in the controller memory; and the controller configured to automatically determine whether the HVAC system is a zoned HVAC system or a non-zoned HVAC system, the controller further configured to communicate with two or more wireless thermostats when the controller determines that the HVAC system is a zoned HVAC system and further configured to communicate with only one wireless thermostat when the controller determines that the HVAC system is a non-zoned HVAC system, wherein the controller is further configured to display from the first set of the one or more menu screens corresponding to the zoned HVAC system when the controller determines that the HVAC system is a zoned HVAC system, and wherein the controller is further configured to display from the second set of the one or menu screens corresponding to the non-zoned HVAC system when the controller determines that the HVAC system is a non-zoned HVAC system.