Patent ID: 7787939

Claim:
A miniaturized imaging device, comprising: (a) a utility guide having at least one aperture configured for supporting utilities, said utility guide comprising a substantially planar surface oriented perpendicular to a longitudinal axis of the miniaturized imaging device; (b) a solid state imaging chip disposed on the planar surface of the utility guide; (c) an imaging array disposed on a top surface of said imaging chip and a conductive element on a side surface of said imaging chip, said imaging array being electrically coupled to the conductive element; (c) a lens optically coupled to the imaging array; (d) an umbilical, including a conductive line, carried by the at least one aperture, said conductive line electrically coupled to the conductive element on the side surface of the imaging chip; and (e) a lens holder disposed about the lens, said lens holder comprising at least one aperture, wherein the at least one aperture of the lens holder is collinear with the at least one aperture of the utility guide, and wherein the at least one aperture of the lens holder is perpendicular to a light receiving surface of the imaging array.