Array substrate, display panel having the same and method of driving the same

1. An array substrate comprising:

first and second gate lines extending in a first direction;

a data line extending in a second, different direction, the data line crossing the first and second gate lines;

a pixel electrode having a first pixel part and a second pixel part, the first and second pixel parts being spaced apart;

a domain-dividing electrode dividing the first and second pixel parts into a plurality of areas;

first, second and third switching elements each having a control electrode coupled to the first gate line, the first, second and third switching elements being controlled by a first gate signal applied from the first gate line, the first, second and third switching elements being operative to apply a data signal received from the data line to the first and second pixel parts and the domain-dividing electrode, respectively; and

a voltage-changing part coupled to the second gate line and being controlled by a second gate signal applied from the second gate line, the voltage-changing part being operative to increase a voltage level of the domain-dividing electrode and decrease a voltage level of the second pixel part.

2. The array substrate of claim 1 , wherein the voltage-changing part comprises:

a voltage-changing transistor including a voltage-changing control electrode electrically connected to the second gate line, a voltage-changing input electrode electrically connected to the second pixel part, and a voltage-changing output electrode;

a voltage-increasing capacitor including a first increasing electrode electrically connected to the domain-dividing electrode and a second increasing electrode electrically connected to the voltage-changing output electrode; and

a voltage-decreasing capacitor including a first decreasing electrode electrically connected to the voltage-changing output electrode and a second decreasing electrode coupled to a reference voltage terminal.

3. The array substrate of claim 2 , wherein the voltage-changing output electrode overlaps a portion of the domain-dividing electrode to form the voltage-changing capacitor.

4. The array substrate of claim 2 , further comprising:

a storage line being overlapped with a portion of the first and second pixel parts to receive the reference voltage,

wherein the voltage-changing output electrode is overlapped with a portion of the storage line so as to form the voltage-decreasing capacitor.

5. The array substrate of claim 4 , wherein the storage line comprises:

a main storage part being formed adjacent to the second gate line along the first direction to be overlapped with a portion of the voltage-changing output electrode; and

a sub-storage part being protruded from the main storage part to be overlapped with a portion of the first and second pixel parts.

6. The array substrate of claim 5 , wherein the sub-storage part comprises:

a first storage line being formed along the second direction to be overlapped with a portion of at least one of the first and second pixel parts; and

a second sub storage line being formed along the second direction to be opposite to the first sub storage line, the second sub storage line being overlapped with a portion of another of the first and second pixel parts.

7. The array substrate of claim 1 , wherein the domain-dividing electrode comprises:

a first division part spaced apart from the first pixel part to divide the first pixel part; and

a second division part spaced apart from the second pixel part to divide the second pixel part.

8. The array substrate of claim 7 , wherein the first division part divides the first pixel part into two portions along a central portion of the first pixel part, and

the second division part divides the second pixel part into two portions along a central portion of the second pixel part.

9. The array substrate of claim 7 , wherein the second pixel part surrounds an external portion of the first pixel part.

10. The array substrate of claim 1 , further comprising:

a first insulating layer covering the gate line; and

a second insulating layer covering the data line formed on the first insulating layer.

11. The array substrate of claim 10 , wherein the pixel electrode and the domain-dividing electrode are formed on the second insulating layer.

12. The array substrate of claim 11 , further comprising:

an insulating structure formed between the domain-dividing electrode and the second insulating layer.

13. The array substrate of claim 10 , wherein:

the pixel electrode is formed on the second insulating layer; and

the domain-dividing electrode interposed between the first and second insulating layers.

14. The array substrate of claim 1 , wherein:

the first switching element comprises a first control electrode

electrically connected to the first gate line, a first input electrode electrically connected to the data line, and a first output electrode electrically connected to the first pixel part;

the second switching element comprises a second control electrode electrically connected to the first gate line, a second input electrode electrically connected to the data line, and a second output electrode electrically connected to the second pixel part; and

the third switching element comprises a third control electrode electrically connected to the first gate line, a third input electrode electrically connected to the data line, and a third output electrode electrically connected to the domain-dividing electrode.

15. An array substrate comprising:

first and second gate lines extending in a first direction;

first and second data lines extending in a second, different direction, the data line crossing the first and second gate lines;

a pixel electrode having first and second pixel parts that are spaced apart from each other;

a domain-dividing electrode having a first division part that divides the first pixel part into a plurality of areas and a second division part that divides the second pixel part into a plurality of areas;

first and second switching elements being controlled by a first gate signal applied from the first gate line, the first and second switching elements applying a first data signal applied from the first data line to the first pixel part and the first division part, respectively;

a first voltage-changing part being controlled by a second gate signal applied from the second gate line, the first voltage-changing part increasing a voltage level of the first division part and decreasing a voltage level of the first pixel part;

third and fourth switching elements being controlled by the first gate signal a second voltage-changing part applying a second data signal applied from the second gate line to the second pixel part and the second division part, respectively; and

the second voltage-changing part being controlled by the second gate signal, the second voltage-changing part increasing a voltage level of the second division part and decreasing a voltage level of the second pixel part.

16. A display panel comprising:

an array substrate;

an opposite substrate opposite the array substrate; and

a liquid crystal layer interposed between the array and opposite substrates, wherein the array substrate comprises:

first and second gate lines formed in a first direction;

a data line formed in a second direction crossing the first direction;

a pixel electrode having first and second pixel parts that are spaced apart from each other;

a domain-dividing electrode dividing the first and second pixel parts into a plurality of areas, respectively;

first, second and third switching elements being controlled by a first gate signal applied from the first gate line, the first, second and third switching elements applying a data signal applied from the data line to the first and second pixel parts and the domain-dividing electrode, respectively; and

a voltage-changing part being controlled by a second gate signal applied from the second gate line, the voltage-changing part increasing a voltage level of the domain-dividing electrode and decreasing a voltage level of the second pixel part.

17. The display panel of claim 16 , wherein the opposite substrate comprises a common electrode to receive a common voltage.