Patent ID: 8801275

Claim:
A fluid-analyte meter configured to rapidly determine ambient temperature, the meter comprising: a housing defining an interior space and an exterior ambient space; a processor disposed within said housing; a controller disposed within said housing, said controller communicatively connected to said processor; a first temperature sensor disposed within said interior space of said housing; a second temperature sensor disposed on said housing, said second temperature sensor communicatively connected to said controller; and a temperature-adjustment source disposed on said housing, said temperature-adjustment source configured to create a convective zone about said second temperature sensor, wherein said controller is configured to transmit instructions for supplying a variable current to said temperature-adjustment source such that said temperature-adjustment source adjusts said second temperature sensor to a predetermined steady-state temperature value different from a first temperature value, said first temperature value based on first temperature data received via said controller from said first temperature sensor, said controller further configured to receive second temperature data from said second temperature sensor, said controller or said processor configured to determine an ambient temperature of said exterior ambient space based on said supplied variable current, predetermined steady-state temperature, and first temperature values.