The objective of this study was to formulate a theoretical model and to develop an efficient and accurate solution method to predict the distribution of frictional heat and resulting temperature rise for simple systems with sliding contact. The solution method developed is a variation of the boundary integral equation method (BIEM) in which a moving, full-space Green's function is used as the fundamental solution. The numerical characteristics and limitations for the solution method are presented, as well as the physical parameters that affect the surface temperature rise. The analysis includes an arbitrary sliding velocity, with special focus on oscillating and unidirectional motion. Since the real contact area is extremely important, the theoretical analysis has the flexibility to handle any arbitrary contact area. Results are presented which display the effect of velocity or Peclet number, the frequency and amplitude of oscillation, and thermal properties. Also, results showing the effect of the number, spacing and orientation of the contact patches are presented. Finally, theoretical calculations corresponding to experiments involving a ball on an oscillating sapphire disk are presented and are found to correlate well with experimental data.