code: static URI parseURI(final String string) {
  		try {
  			return string != null ? new URI(string) : null;
  		} catch (URISyntaxException e) {
  			throw new IllegalArgumentException(format(
  				"Invalid URI value: %s.", string
  			));
  		}
  	}
docs: Convert the given {@code object} into a URI value. If the
  {@code object} is {@code null}, {@code null} is returned.
  
  @param string the string to convert
  @return the converted object