There is a growing interest for simultaneous identification
and centimetre-resolution localization of multiple targets in
indoor environments. A hybrid passive UHF/UWB RFID concept
has been recently proposed that conciliates the potential from high
resolution UWB impulse radio with the typical range from UHFRFID
identification systems. This paper proposes a new planar antenna
for hybrid passive tag systems, which operates both in the
UHF-RFID band and in the FCC UWB band. The co-designed
UHF andUWB antenna elements are printed back-to-back on each
side of a common substrate with appropriate topology for future
integrationwith a single UHF-UWBRFIDchip. Experimental tests
have shown that both UHF-RFID and UWB performance of the
hybrid antenna are comparable to available commercial solutions
that work just on a single band. The antenna is adequate for lowcost
mass production of hybrid passive tags. It aims at low-cost passive
RFID systems combining the ability of item identification with
precise tracking in indoor environments.