Package sortation system

1 . A method comprising:

receiving an inventory of a plurality of shipping resources;

receiving a blank sortation label comprising three or more predefined regions, wherein each predefined region is associated with a unique color and is laced with only a coloring agent of the region's unique color and no other coloring agent, such that the three or more predefined regions are respectively laced with coloring agents of at least three different colors in addition to a background color, wherein the coloring agent of each predefined region remains invisible until activated to become visible with the region's unique color;

extracting first and second data from a sortation instruction, wherein the first data and the second data jointly identify one shipping resource of the plurality of shipping resources;

selecting one region of the three or more predefined region based on the first data;

selecting a symbol or pattern based on the second data; and

printing the selected symbol or pattern on the selected region of the sortation label by activating the coloring agent of the selected region.

2 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the coloring agent is heat activated and the printing is thermal printing, wherein the coloring agent is transparent or has a default color before being activated.

3 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the selected region is the only printed region in the three or more predefined regions.

4 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the sortation label is to be applied to a particular package, the method further comprising receiving package information for the particular package.

5 . The method of claim 4 , further comprising generating the sortation instruction based on a real-time status of the plurality of shipping resources and the package information, wherein the sortation instruction assigns the particular package to the identified shipping resource.

6 . The method of claim 4 , wherein the package information of the particular package is received by optically scanning a source label attached to the package.

7 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the plurality of shipping resources correspond to one or more identifiers for delivery vehicles.

8 . The method of claim 1 , further comprising:

printing first and second data on a region of the sortation label that is outside of the three or more predefined regions in black and white.

9 . The method of claim 1 , further comprising:

extracting a third data from the sortation instruction;

printing a pattern based on the third data on a region of the sortation label that is outside of the three or more predefined regions.

10 . The method of claim 9 , wherein the third data indicates a destination address of the package.

11 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the inventory of shipping resources is a dynamic inventory that is continuously updated in real-time.

12 . A computing device comprising:

a processor; and

a storage device storing a set of instructions, wherein an execution of the set of instructions by the processor configures the computing device to perform acts comprising:

receiving an inventory of a plurality of shipping resources;

receiving a blank sortation label comprising three or more predefined regions, wherein each predefined region is associated with a unique color and is laced with a coloring agent of the region's unique color and no other coloring agent, such that the three or more predefined regions are respectively laced with coloring agents of at least three different colors in addition to a background color, wherein the coloring agent of each predefined region remains invisible until activated to become visible with the region's unique color;

extracting first and second data from a sortation instruction, wherein the first data and the second data jointly identify one shipping resource of the plurality of shipping resources;

selecting one region of the three or more predefined region based on the first data;

selecting a symbol or pattern based on the second data; and

printing the selected symbol or pattern on the selected region of the sortation label by activating the coloring agent of the selected region.

13 . A computer program product comprising:

one or more non-transitory computer-readable storage devices and program instructions stored on at least one of the one or more non-transitory storage devices, the program instructions executable by a processor, the program instructions comprising sets of instructions for:

receiving an inventory of a plurality of shipping resources;

receiving a blank sortation label comprising three or more predefined regions, wherein each predefined region is associated with a unique color and is laced with a coloring agent of the region's unique color and no other coloring agent, such that the three or more predefined regions are respectively laced with coloring agents of at least three different colors in addition to a background color, wherein the coloring agent of each predefined region remains invisible until activated to become visible with the region's unique color;

extracting first and second data from a sortation instruction, wherein the first data and the second data jointly identify one shipping resource of the plurality of shipping resources;

selecting one region of the three or more predefined region based on the first data;

selecting a symbol or pattern based on the second data; and

printing the selected symbol or pattern on the selected region of the sortation label by activating the coloring agent of the selected region.