Patent ID: 8785856

Claim:
An infrared (IR) temperature monitoring system, comprising: a protective housing having an open end and closed end; an IR temperature sensor having a sensor housing which encases an IR element, wherein the protective housing encases the IR temperature sensor and the sensor housing, wherein the protective housing is a plastic cap that shields the sensor housing from one or more environmental effects; a metallic frame positioned upon an inner portion of the closed end of the protective housing, wherein the metallic frame encompasses a transmissive window in the closed end of the protective housing, wherein the metallic frame provides a stable temperature around the transmissive window; a plurality of resistive temperature detectors (RTDs) thermally bonded to the metallic frame, wherein the plurality of RTDs both detect and generate heat and actively stabilize a temperature of the transmissive window; and a control circuitry that actively stabilizes temperature of the transmissive window via temperature control of each of the plurality of RTDs to maintain a setpoint temperature via one or more of the RTDs by regulating current and power dissipation to the plurality of RTDs while measuring the temperature measurement.