Ultrasound beamformer-based channel data compression

A method for ultrasound beamformer-based channel data compression, the method comprising:

• receiving channel data from elements of a transducer array;
• encoding the channel data laterally across the array with a delay and sum beamformer with a set of basis functions, wherein the encoding laterally across the array compresses data from multiple channels by delay and apodization profiles of the delay and sum beamformer, the delay and apodization profiles set to implement the basis functions, the basis functions implementing the encoding, an output of the encoding being a compression of the channel data from the multiple channels, the basis functions substantially enabling recovery of the channel data from each of the multiple channels from the output of the encoding, the channel data for the multiple channels being from the different elements and being used after application of the basis functions to encode the output;
• repeating the encoding for additional channel data;
• and
• transmitting the output of the encoding.