Tire with magnetic tread wear sensor and tread wear monitoring method

A tire, comprising:

• a tread, the tread having arranged therein a sacrificial magnet portion exposed to tread wear, the sacrificial magnet portion generating a useful magnetic field signal varying as a function of tread wear, magnetizable material having a magnetization depending non-linearly on magnetic field strength, the magnetizable material generating an interfering magnetic field signal superimposing the useful magnetic field signal;
• a magnetic field sensor disposed in an interior of the tire, the magnetic field sensor for measuring the useful magnetic field signal and the superimposed interfering magnetic field signal;
• a permanent magnet portion arranged proximate the magnetizable material so as to decouple the interfering magnetic field signal sensed by the magnetic field sensor from the useful magnetic field signal sensed by the magnetic field sensor by substantially saturating the magnetizable material, wherein the sacrificial magnet portion and the permanent magnet portion are integrated within a stud embedded in the tread;
• and
• wherein the sacrificial magnet portion includes a magnetic moment, wherein the permanent magnet portion includes a magnetic moment, and wherein the magnetic moment of the sacrificial magnet portion and the magnetic moment of the permanent magnet portion are perpendicular.