Computing architecture for hierarchical control of network addressable devices

A method for controlling the status of devices in a networked system of multiple individually addressable devices, the system including a plurality of individually addressable devices each having a logical address based on a network addressing scheme, each addressable device being connected to a computer network through a cable that transmits electric power for powering one or more elements of the addressable device and control commands for addressing and controlling the addressable device, each addressable device including a controller for receiving the control commands and controlling a state of the one or more elements in accordance with the control command, a grouping database storing group data including addresses of the addressable devices in correspondence with at least one group, a command database storing control records of the control commands including a control command type and a time stamp for corresponding to each command, a control hierarchy database storing hierarchical control command processing rules, and a status controller for processing the control commands causing the addressable devices to assume predefined states based on the control command processing rules, the group data and the control records, the method comprising:

• transmitting at least one Permanent Master control command (PM) to at least one of the addressable devices based on the network addressing scheme to thereby cause the at least one addressable device to assume a state specified by the PM until another command is generated to change the state;
• transmitting at least one Temporary Master control command (TM) to at least one of the addressable devices based on the network addressing scheme, thereby cause the at least one addressable device to assume a state specified by the TM until occurrence of a condition associated with the TM;
• and
• causing, in response to occurrence of the condition, the at least one addressable device to revert to the state specified by the latest in time PM sent to the at least one device.