Hand grip sensor for external chassis antenna

A mobile communication device that is user equipment (UE) comprising:

• a first antenna section on an exterior of the UE;
• a first metal section spaced from and adjacent to a first end of the first antenna section;
• a first ground section spaced from and adjacent to the first metal section such that the first metal section is between the first antenna section and the first ground section, the first ground section being connected to ground;
• a capacitance module comprising:
• a differential capacitance sensor configured to measure a first differential capacitance between the first antenna section and the first metal section;
• and
• a capacitance sensor configured to measure a first capacitance between the first metal section and ground;
• wherein the capacitance module outputs the first differential capacitance and the first capacitance as a capacitance sense signal;
• a matching circuit controller configured to use the capacitance sense signal to reconfigure a tunable antenna matching circuit, wherein the antenna matching circuit is connected between a transceiver and the first antenna section, wherein the matching circuit controller outputs a tuning signal to a second antenna matching circuit to reconfigure the second antenna matching circuit to impedance match a second antenna section;
• and
• a direct current (DC) blocking capacitor connected between the tunable antenna matching circuit and the first antenna section.

For a mobile communication device that is user equipment (UE) having an external antenna incorporated about a peripheral surface of the UE, a method of impedance matching at least a first antenna with a transceiver comprising:

• measuring, by a differential capacitance sensor, a first differential capacitance between the first antenna and a first metal section, the first metal section being adjacent to a first end of the first antenna, the first metal section and the first antenna having a first gap there between;
• measuring, by a capacitance sensor, a first capacitance between the first metal section and a first ground section, the first metal section being adjacent to the first ground section, and first metal section and the first ground section having a third gap there between, the first ground section being connected to ground;
• and
• reconfiguring an antenna impedance matching circuit which is connected between the first antenna and the transceiver and where a direct current (DC) blocking capacitor is disposed between the antenna impedance matching circuit and the first antenna so as to impedance match the first antenna with the transceiver based on the combination of the first differential capacitance and the first capacitance, and reconfiguring the antenna impedance matching circuit to output a tuning signal to a second antenna matching circuit to reconfigure the second antenna matching circuit to impedance match a second antenna.