function  [times,values,params]=extract_param_series(tm,category,val)

params={};
times={};
values={};
params_found=0;
saved_values={};

%times=zeros(size(tm));
%values=zeros(size(val));

for ind=1:size(tm,1)
    cur_time=tm{ind};
    cur_param=category{ind};
    cur_val=val(ind);
    

    if size(params,1)>0 && max(strcmp(params,cur_param))~=0
        cur_param_ind=find(strcmp(params,cur_param));
        saved_values{cur_param_ind}=saved_values{cur_param_ind}+1;
        n=saved_values{cur_param_ind};
        times{cur_param_ind}(n)=str2time(cur_time);
        values{cur_param_ind}(n)=cur_val;
        
    elseif size(params,1)==0 % the very first line
        params_found=params_found+1;
        params{params_found}=cur_param;
        values{1}(1)=cur_val;
        times{1}(1)=str2time(cur_time);
        saved_values{1}=1;
        
    else % new parameter is found
        params_found=params_found+1;
        params{params_found}=cur_param;
        values{params_found}(1)=cur_val;
        times{params_found}(1)=str2time(cur_time);
        saved_values{params_found}(1)=1;
        
    end
    
    
end




%pause();



end