Patent ID: 8319443

Claim:
A light-emitting diode (LED) lighting device, comprising: a first luminescent device for providing light according to a first current; a second luminescent device coupled in series to the first luminescent device for providing light according to a second current; a two-terminal current controller coupled in parallel with the first luminescent device and in series to the second luminescent device and configured to regulate the second current according to a voltage established across the two-terminal current controller, wherein: when the voltage established across the two-terminal current controller does not exceed a first voltage during a rising period of a rectified alternative-current (AC) voltage whose value varies periodically with time, the two-terminal current controller is turned on for maintaining the first current at substantially zero and regulating the second current according to the voltage established across the two-terminal current controller; when the voltage established across the two-terminal current controller is larger than the first voltage and does not exceed a second voltage during the rising period, the two-terminal current controller is turned on for maintaining the first current at substantially zero and setting the second current to a predetermined value larger than zero; and when the voltage established across the two-terminal current controller is larger than the second voltage during the rising period, the two-terminal current controller is turned off for equalizing the first current and the second current.