Because the duration of laser heating is ultrashort, a sequential method is proposed for estimating the input condition in the dual-phase-lag (DPL) conduction model. The estimation is deduced based on a numerical approach combined with a future time concept. Two cases are presented to show the features and validity of the proposed method. The actual and estimated values are compared to confirm the validity and accuracy of the proposed method. (C) 2014 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.