Patent ID: 8657487

Claim:
A method comprising: selecting a black body comprising: a radiant portion configured to calibrate an infrared instrument viewing the radiant portion of the black body, at least one temperature sensor, at least one container positioned proximate the at least one temperature sensor and containing a material, and at least one heat transfer device positioned between the at least one container and the radiant portion; moving, by the at least one heat transfer device, the material through a phase change by passing thermal energy from the at least one container to the radiant portion; monitoring, during the moving, a signal output from the at least one temperature sensor; converting the signal output into at least one temperature reading; calibrating the at least one temperature sensor by calculating a correction correcting a disparity between a reading of the at least one temperature sensor and a known plateau temperature corresponding to the phase change; returning the at least one temperature sensor to thermal equilibrium with the blackbody; and executing a blackbody calibration comprising applying the correction to subsequent temperature readings obtained using the at least one temperature sensor.