Intelligent Reflecting Surfaces (IRS) are anticipated to serve as a key cornerstone of future wireless networks, providing an unmatched capability to deterministically shape electromagnetic wave propagation. Despite this potential, most existing research still considers the IRS merely as a standalone physical-layer component, controlled by transmitters. However, as networks grow to encompass a massive number of these surfaces and a massive number of transmitters wishing to use them, this transmitter-centric design encounters substantial challenges. To overcome this challenge, we propose the Internet of IRS (IoIRS), an architecture that reconceives the IRS not just as a passive reflecting surface, but as a connected, hybrid entity functioning across both the physical layer and upper network layers. We present the conceptual framework and a preliminary protocol suite necessary to integrate these surfaces into the higher network layers. We conclude by examining how IoIRS architectures could be applied in practice, as their deployment will be essential for fully realizing the capabilities of future wireless networks.

翻译：智能反射面（IRS）有望成为未来无线网络的关键基石，提供无与伦比的确定性塑造电磁波传播的能力。尽管具有这一潜力，现有研究大多仍将IRS仅视为由发射机控制的独立物理层组件。然而，随着网络规模扩展至包含海量反射面以及众多希望使用这些反射面的发射机，这种以发射机为中心的设计面临重大挑战。为克服这一挑战，我们提出了IRS互联网（IoIRS）架构，该架构将IRS重新构想为不仅是被动反射面，而且是跨越物理层和上层网络层的互联混合实体。我们阐述了将这些反射面整合到更高网络层所需的概念框架和初步协议套件。最后，我们探讨了IoIRS架构如何在实际中应用，因为其部署对于充分发挥未来无线网络的潜力至关重要。